Members of the Atlas Lions of Morocco and officials received royal awards from the country’s monarch, King Mohammed VI, following the team’s impressive performance at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Morocco made history in Qatar as they became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
According to Moroccan national news agency MAP EXPRESS, following the team’s arrival from Qatar on Tuesday, King Mohammed VI, in company of his sons, Prince Moulay El Hassan and Prince Moulay Rachid, hosted the players , their mothers, coaching crew and the country’s Football Federation president Fawzi Lakjaa in Rabat.
During the reception, King Mohammed VI decorated the federation president and head coach Walid Regragui with the Order of the Throne (Rank Of Commander).
In addition, the monarch decorated the players including Ghanem Saiss, Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Sofyan Amrabat, and Nayef Aguerd with third-class Order of the Throne Wissams (Officer).
The players also include Hakim Ziyech, Azzedine Ounahi, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Anas Zaroury, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Mounir El Kajoui, Ilias Chair, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Selim Amallah, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Sofiane Boufal.
Also decorated with the same Wissam were Jawad El Yamiq, Youssef En-Nesyri, Achraf Dari, Walid Cheddira, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Bilal El Khannous, Badr Banoun, Yahya Attiyat-Allah, and Yahya Jabrane.
King Mohammed VI, Moulay El Hassan, and Moulay Rachid then posed with the national team and their mothers for a souvenir picture. Mothers of the Moroccan players were also present at the royal reception as the King insisted on including them in the event.
The players and technical staff also presented gifts and souvenirs to the King, as thanks for his support during their run at the global tournament.
The Atlas Lions arrived at the Rabat-Sale international airport earlier today, where they were met with a huge crowd of eager fans lined up across the streets, welcoming the Moroccan squad following their fairytale World Cup run.
Armed with Morocco’s flags, the national team and their head coach Walid Regragui toured across the cities of Sale and Rabat in an open bus as fans from all walks of life cheered for them.
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