Moroccan squad waves Palestine flags, celebrating victory

Doha: After making an astonishing victory against Spain, and entering their maiden FIFA quarterfinals, the Moroccan team crowded together in the field to celebrate the victory with Palestinian flags alongside Morrocan ones, The Indian Express reported.

Morroco, with a tough defence, pushed the former champions Spain out of the tournament in a penalty shootout at the Education City Stadium here on Tuesday. In the match in which Morocco marked its maiden entry to FIFA quarters, the score was 3-0. Pushing both the Spanish team and its fans to despair, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved efforts by Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. For Morocco, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech scored, along with Achraf Hakimi.

The Moroccan squad also waved the Palestinian flag after their victory against Canada during the group stage last week.

FIFA World Cup 2022 host Qatar keep no relations with Israel but remains a supporter of Palestine.

However, FIFA regulations prohibit the display of banners, flags and fliers that are deemed to be "political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature." Before, football running bodies have fined display of Palestinian flags inside stadiums.

Morocco has emerged as the only Arabian-African team left in the tournament in the first-ever FIFA WC held in the Middle East. The team's success is being celebrated across the Arab world, as well as the immigrant communities from Morocco and some others in Europe.

TIE reported that in Barcelona, Spain's largest city where fans of FC Barcelona traditionally celebrate big victories, a large crowd gathered waving Moroccan, Egyptian, Algerian and Palestinian flags. Drums blared, and lighting flared.