#morwnt

[glimmerofawesome]

Morocco watch the end of Germany-South Korea, and react to finding out that they have qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup for the very first time!

[traincoded]

Nouhaila Benzina becomes the first player to wear a hijab (and get a yellow card and win a match) during a FIFA Women's World Cup on Morocco's debut at the tournament

As a reminder, this would not have been possible in France as the country's highest court ruled in favor of banning hijabs in women's football earlier this year.

[that-soccer-guru]

Catalina Usme, Daniela Arias and Daniela Montoya speak to the press after Morocco loss

Catalina Usme:

You have to have patience. It is 5 minutes in victory and 5 minutes to analyze defeat and let it go. In the emotional sense I mean, NOT let it go in what we did and didn't do. We will have to regroup, and it is good for this to happen to us! No one said it would be easy, no one said the road would be wonderful and spectacular and we would be kissing each other to triumph every time! This is the way this game goes. God willed it for things to go this way. I believe this is the way it was meant to happen. Our first half was bad, it was awful for everyone. The penalty play is unfortunate, it is very unfortunate, but it happens! It can happen to anyone! Now, on the way home, we have to sit and breathe, be calm. We made it out in first place, that was one of our objectives. Now we have to recalculate and move forward.

Daniela Arias:

It was a nervous play. I feel like I went on top of her and I ended up pushing her, but I didn't mean for it to be bad or to become a penalty. In my mind I knew that VAR forgives no one, and it is a play without intention but...[oh well]. They called it a penalty, I was surprised, but I was conscious that I had touched her, and in the area you can't just let those details go. It was a bad half, it took us a long time to find ourselves. I am an auto-critic, I mean, we lost because of my penalty, a penalty I committed! But I also know that we needed the ball, we needed to find patience. Morocco basically baited us, gave us the ball a lot, but we didn't make our decisions fast enough. We had to play more on the wings, because the center-field was crowded. I don't know, but it happens, and we have to move on.

Daniela Montoya:

It's good for this to happen to us. Now we have to correct as a team, and well, we have to give this what it's worth! Qualifying in first is very important, especially seeing the teams that didn't make it.

And there you have it folks. Gracious in victory and gracious in defeat. Now, time to breathe and prepare!

Colombia will face one of the other darlings of the World Cup, Jamaica, on Tuesday the 8th at 4AM EST

[keepscrollinghun]

Almost a decade after FIFA removed its ban on headscarves, the 2023 Women's World Cup welcomed for the first time a hijab-wearing player. When Nouhaila Benzina stepped onto the pitch to play for Morocco at its first-ever World Cup match, she made history. FIFA banned the hijab for seven years, citing it as a health and safety risk. After years of Muslim women fighting against it, they finally lifted the ban in 2014.

EA Sports also release update adding a hijab for Morocco's Nouhaila Benzina in FIFA 23. The first player to wear a hijab at the Women's World Cup leaves a lasting legacy at the tournament, and on football's biggest gaming franchise.

[sapphiccj]

holy shit morocco!!!

[sevynchaos]

The Moroccan National Team in training before their game against Mali.

[glimmerofawesome]

Moroccan players and staff react and celebrate after finding out they have qualified for the Round of 16, in their first ever World Cup!

[glimmerofawesome]

[keepscrollinghun]

[keepscrollinghun]

[keepscrollinghun]

didn't celebrate her assist against morocco

also karchaoui:

[keepscrollinghun]

[sevynchaos]

Rosella Ayane with the Moroccan National Team.

[coachtfd]

Not just women’s sports, women’s history.

🐨🐨🐨

Morocco watch the end of Germany-South Korea, and react to finding out that they have qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup for the very first time!