AYISHATU ZAKARIA ALI – AIPS: Moroccans and most Africans in general celebrated a historic moment as the Atlas Lions broke an African jinx by reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

The 1-0 defeat of Portugal secured their place among the last four, a feat no African country had achieved prior.

This is not a victory for Morocco alone but for a continent that could brag only previously about being in the quarter-finals.

Amid the celebrations and jubilation it is important to reflect on the journey of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and its investments which are yielding great and visible results in every aspect of the game.

Both men’s and women’s football have chalked up immense successes this year as a result of deliberate planning and execution.

The men’s and women’s African Champions League titles are currently held by Moroccan clubs, a historic achievement.

The country also holds th men’s Confederations Cup; the women’s national team came second in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for their first World Cup, while the country’s men’s home-based squad won the African Nations Championship.

A major investment which cannot be ignored in the success of Moroccan teams is the ultramodern Mohammed VI Football Complex football facility. It was inaugurated in 2019 and has become a point of reference.

The $70m facility was unveiled three years ago near the country’s capital, Rabat. It covers 30hectares, boasts world-class pitches, a five-star hotel, two three-star hotels, dormitories, dining and relaxation areas, a 221-seater auditorium to host conferences, film screening etc and administrative buildings.

It can accommodate the national team A (66 rooms and 4 suites), can house the U23 and U17 teams with 150-bed and 80-bed capacity dormitories respectively and goalkeepers with 54 rooms.

The state-of-the-art facilities and equipment are in line with FIFA standards. It has four natural grass football fields, three artificial football fields, a covered football pitch, a hybrid football field, a re-training room that can host futsal matches, an outdoor Olympic-sized pool, two tennis courts, and a Beach Soccer field.

Also on-site is a new-generation sports and performance medical centre which also features physiotherapy, stress testing, dentistry, ophthalmology, trauma, psychology, podiatry, nutritional medicine, radiology, ultrasound, electrotherapy, bone densitometry, cryotherapy, and an emergency mobile medical unit.

If others do not invest similarly in this sport the continent loves so much, Morocco will dominate not only the continent but make huge strides in the world.

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