The Atlas Lionesses

It is a fact that the Kingdom of Morocco is making progress in all areas. It is doing so in the educational and cultural, social, economic and industrial fields, and so on. And this is no longer a revelation, since the development of a country has to be comprehensive to be as successful as it is. But the men's national football team at the Qatar 2022 World Cup was a real revelation. 

Today, the Atlas Lionesses of the women's national football team are, against all odds, a real revelation by advancing to the round of 16 of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The Moroccan national team is the first Arab women's team to take part in a women's World Cup. Their presence at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is breaking many records, despite being placed in Group H. That is to say, among the best women's teams such as Germany, Colombia and South Korea.

Indeed, 25-year-old Lioness Nouhaila Benzina became the first veiled footballer to play in a match at the Australia and New Zealand Women's World Cup 2023. Since FIFA lifted the ban on the veil in 2014. For the proselytes of FREEDOM, in capital letters, it was an absurd provision out of any sporting context.

The Moroccan national team neither forbids nor obliges to dress one way or the other as long as they wear the two-coloured, red and green jersey. And so it was. The Atlas Lionesses made their debut with a heavy defeat. A 6-0 result against Germany in their first-ever World Cup match. Despite this, the Lionesses have shown their qualities, their know-how and their poise. They kept calm and orderly in their positions and, above all, in their unwavering unity as they conceded goals. But without surrender.

In their second match, the Lionesses approached the match against South Korea with seriousness and determination. The Koreans were coming off a 1-1 draw with Germany. But the lionesses' fury overcame the Asian team with a goal scored by Jaraidi. A success with which the women's national football team made history and gave them hope of progressing to the Round of 16.

However, on Thursday 3 August in Perth, the Atlas Lionesses achieved a greater, historic feat by overcoming the experienced Colombian team, who had just beaten Germany (2-1). Neither the strength, toughness nor skill of the Colombian national team were able to overcome the Lionesses. The Cafeteros succumbed to a goal from Anissa Lahmari in first-half stoppage time. Morocco were able to defend the result without giving up the attack.

After the end of the match, the joy was contained. The Moroccan team had to hold its breath waiting for the end of the match between Germany and Korea, who were tied. The result finally sent the Atlas Lionesses through to the last 16 of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. An unprecedented feat for Moroccan women's football that could equal that achieved by the men's team at the Qatar 2022 World Cup if they manage to overcome the French women's team on 8 August.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was present at the match, congratulated the Atlas Lionesses on their qualification to the last 16 of the World Cup final. He also paid special tribute to Morocco defender Nouhaila Benzina, the first woman to play in the World Cup wearing a headscarf.

Morocco continues to move forward, and the Atlas Lionesses are now our ambassadors in charge of playing the anthem and raising the flag of the Kingdom of Morocco high in the sky.