Tag: Morocco

Sofyan Amrabat: His ‘perfect’ tackle on Mbappe and learning from Ten Hag

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It is mid-afternoon on the outskirts of Florence and from the highest point of Viola Park, the site of Fiorentina’s half-constructed and extremely swish new training ground, we are not too far outside the city to make out the Duomo on the picture-perfect skyline. Sofyan Amrabat pulls up a chair and, very quickly, all the memories come flooding back: the colour, the din, the glories of a Morocco side that seemed absolutely hell-bent on writing their names into the history of the World Cup. He has just finished training with…

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Paris Saint-Germain helps Ashraf Hakimi after a defender was accused of rape, and the French prosecutor opened an investigation

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Paris Saint-Germain said it supports Achraf Hakimi after French prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into the Moroccan defender’s rape allegations. The prosecutor’s office is leading an investigation in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, a judicial official confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday, without giving any further details. Al-Hakimi has not publicly responded to the accusation, but Paris Saint-Germain said on Tuesday that his player “vehemently denied these accusations.” In a statement to the athleteThe French side said of Hakimi: “The club supports the player who has vehemently denied the…

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Croatia v Morocco – great proof that third place matches really matter

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We do not have third-place matches in the Champions League, Europa League or FA Cup. UEFA has not been interested in bronze medals at the European Championships since 1980. No need, you might think, given that European teams continued to win them at the World Cup. Croatia’s 2-1 victory over Morocco in Qatar on Saturday secured their second set of bronze medals, following their 1998 victory over the Netherlands. European teams have so far won 17 of the 20 Consolation Prize competitions at the World Cup finals, 11 in a…

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World Cup 2022 prize money: What return will France or Argentina get for winning in Qatar?

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The World Cup isn’t the only prize on offer when Argentina and France meet in Qatar on Sunday. World Cup winners also receive one of the most generous payments offered in football. The 2022 tournament will award a record prize pool, with all 32 nations that played in Qatar receiving compensation from FIFA. Here’s what you need to know about the prize money at the 2022 World Cup and how it has changed over the years. What is the World Cup award? When looking at the prize money for the…

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Morocco started with a 5-4-1 formation that cost them their shot at the World Cup final

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Ahead of Morocco’s semi-final match with France, Walid Regragui made a surprising decision. Having led Morocco more than any other African team in World Cup history with a 4-5-1 formation, they decided to start this competition with a 5-4-1. Much of this is due to his defenders’ fitness problems. Nayef Ajord withdrew just before kick-off, Romain Sayes lasted 20 minutes, and Nosair Mazraoui did not reach the second half. With concerns about the mobility of these defenders, and facing France’s fast wingers, Regragui opted to load another defender. On paper,…

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Thousands of Moroccan fans face long lines waiting for tickets outside the South Stadium

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Thousands of Moroccan fans are struggling to buy tickets for the 2022 World Cup semi-final match against France, with security concerns growing in the long lines. the athlete Tuesday saw several people outside Al Janoub Stadium being rushed into ambulances after they collapsed while queuing for tickets as well as physical altercations as security pushed fans back off. Gates to sell tickets were scheduled to open at 10am local time outside Al Janoub Stadium, but by 12pm only a limited number of booths were open. There has been a marked…

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Hakim Ziyech’s salvation for Morocco is as much the result of hard work as skill

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Somewhere on the outskirts of Cairo in 2019, Herve Renard’s Morocco were looking to bust the hood of the Africa Cup of Nations. Since finishing second in the 2004 edition to Tunisia, Morocco has only been knocked out in the group stage once, in 2017. In the six editions that preceded it, they lost four times in the group stage, failing to qualify once. He was eliminated once. In 2019, they reached the knockout stage again, where they faced Benin in the round of 16, a match they were expected…

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Moroccan Walid Regragui after Portugal’s victory: We are the “Rocky” in the World Cup

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Moroccan national team coach Walid Rekragui described his team as the “Rocky” in the World Cup after he struck a knockout against Portugal to reach the semi-finals. Youssef En-Nesiri’s header near the end of the first half proved the difference as Regragui’s men added a victory against Portugal to their previous victories over Belgium and Spain and set up a last-four match with either England or France. Morocco made history in the process, becoming the first African team to reach the tournament’s semi-finals, and Regragui believes the underdogs have passed…

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Morocco 1-0 Portugal: Qafezet En-Nesyri and Africa in the semi-finals, and Ronaldo says goodbye

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Morocco qualified for the World Cup semi-finals after defeating Portugal 1-0. Youssef Al-Nusairi scored the only goal of the match, jumping over Diogo Carlos to hit the net with a wonderful header in the 42nd minute. Cristiano Ronaldo started off the bench again and, despite coming on in the second half, was unable to help Portugal recover the equaliser. Morocco is the first African team to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals, and will meet the winners from England and France. Dermot Corrigan, Liam Tarmey, and Jeff Reuter analyze key…

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Luis Enrique refuses to confirm his continuation as coach of Spain after the exit from the World Cup

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Spain coach Luis Enrique refused to confirm whether he would remain in his post after his team’s elimination in the round of 16. Spain lost 3-0 on penalties to Morocco, after drawing 0-0 after extra time, and have struggled in attack since their 7-0 win over Costa Rica in the opening match. Enrique has been coaching the Spain national team since 2018, although he stepped down for four months in 2019 due to illness and the subsequent death of his daughter. He led Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020,…

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