The kiss that Achraf Hakimi received from his mother after the Morocco-France match is the image immortalized in Barcelona of the great role that Morocco has played in the World Cup in Qatar. Although thousands of Moroccan fans saw their dreams of lifting the world cup vanish last night with goals from Theo Hernández and Kolo Muani, no one doubts that they have become a legend. The sample is painted on a street in the Ciutat Vella district.
The Atlas Lions, supported by their unconditional supporters who dyed the stands of the Qatari stadiums red, have shown how a team without world stars can compete and stand up to the biggest teams. In addition, they have achieved a giant step for African football by breaking the barrier of the quarterfinals.
One of the images of the World Cup occurred in the match between Morocco and Spain. Those from North Africa made a defensive display that stopped the Spanish attack, taking the game to 11 meters. In that distance, Yassine Bounou did not concede a single goal and the PSG winger, Achraf Hakimi, was in charge of sealing the pass to the quarterfinals scoring his Panenka-style penalty.
The Moroccan team exploded with happiness, since it was the first time they had managed to enter the top eight in a World Cup. After the euphoria, it could be seen how Hakimi approached the stands to celebrate with her family, hugging and kissing his mother.
This is the kiss that has been immortalized in the Ciutat Vella district. The large Moroccan community that resides in this area has been in charge of painting a mural to remember the feat that their players have accomplished in this World Cup. In addition, it should be remembered that Achraf Hakimi was born in Getafe and was able to play with the Spanish National Team, although he rejected this possibility after a concentration with the Under-19s.
