Photo of Moroccan players with their mothers goes viral

Riyadh: A group photo of the Moroccan national football team with their mothers and the nation’s king in the center has gone viral on social media.

The photo was taken during a reception ceremony held by King Mohammed VI in the presence of Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Prince Moulay Rachid at the Royal Palace in Rabat.

Mothers of the Moroccan players played a prominent role in the team’s history-making World Cup performance, acting as cheerleaders for their sons, both on and off the pitch. 

One Moroccan player, Sofiane Boufal, was seen dancing with his mother on the pitch, celebrating their country’s historic win over Portugal in Qatar.

In an unprecedented achievement, the national team reached the semifinals of the World Cup — a first for Moroccan, Arab and African football.

During the ceremony, the king awarded Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and national team coach Walid Regragui with the Order of the Throne, a state decoration for distinguished services of a civil or military nature.

Moroccan players were also given awards for their efforts, while royal medals were issued to all technical and medical staff.

The Atlas Lions arrived home late on Tuesday amid celebrations in Rabat and other Moroccan cities.