Africans celebrate the resurrection of Moroccan football

Moroccan club football side Wydad Casablanca became the third Moroccan club to win the competition contested between the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup winners after their bitter rivals Raja Casablanca and Maghreb Fez.

Wydad beat D Congo’s TP Mazembe by one goal to nil to lift the trophy they were contesting for the first time.

Wydad’s win is a climax of a hugely successful season for the club and Moroccan football in general.

Before conquering the mighty TP Maembe, Wydad humbled another football giant on the continent, Egypt’s Al Ahly.

The Moroccan side won the club champions league after beating Al Ahly 2-1 over a two legged final.

The Super Cup is a competition between the winners of the African Champions League and the second-tier Confederation Cup.

Wydad are the reigning African Champions League winners having beaten Egypt’s Al Alhy to the title.

The match took place at Stade Mohamed V in Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca.

The same satdium and city played host to the final of the Championship of African Nations contested by Morocco and Nigeria.

The Moroccan team of players who ply their trade in the local league were crowned champions after putting four unanswered goals past the Super Eagles.

The Moroccan senior team is one of five African teams to represent Africa at the World Cup in Russia this year.

Morocco qualified at the expense of fancied Ivory Coast, topping the qualification group after beating the Ivory Coast 2-0 in the final group game.

“It has always been a dream of mine to go to a World Cup. Morocco has all the resources to be successful but maybe has a tendency to suffer under the burdens of past triumphs,” Morocco coach Herve Renard said.

Many fans of African football have been applauding this good run for Moroccan football, crediting the loyal fans and organised football fraternity in the country for the success.

Morocco football past 12 months have been on ?. National team qualify for WORLD CUP, Home based national team won CHAN, Morocco club Wydad Casablanca won both the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE and the SUPER CUP. That remarkable?

— Salaudeen Yusuf (@unitedyusuf) February 24, 2018

Wydad Casablanca is clearly a very good side and it's no surprise Morrocco won the CHAN. Good advertisement for African football the CAF Super Cup. Wydad lead 1-0 with 7mins left.

— Charles Anazodo (@chaplinez70) February 24, 2018

? Wydad Casablanca supporters today vs TP Mazembe pic.twitter.com/KSoND0e53V #CAFSuperCup ??

— DiskiStyle (@DiskiStyle) February 24, 2018

This is the strength of the North African clubs. Strong, loyal and passionate fans. Atmosphere does so much for club success.

— WakandanGuy (@stanomuhle) February 25, 2018

World Cup hosting bid

Perhaps buoyed by their success, the Moroccan Football Federation in January announced that it will bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

The bid which has been backed by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, will come up against a strong joint bid by United States, Canada and Mexico.

CAF backed the Moroccan bid in July last year.

World Cup 2026: Co-Hosting rejected by FIFA after 2002 (also applied in 2010 and 2018). And now: Morocco would be the logical host! And it is time for Africa again! #Fifa #CAF #@FIFAWorldCup

— Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) February 22, 2018

Morocco has six stadiums in the cities of Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Tangier and Tetouan. Officials in Morocco tout these cities as those ‘that have FIFA stadiums with all the infrastructures that go with it matching the ambitions of Africa’.

Morocco, back in 1970, were the first African country to win a point at a World Cup.

In 1986, they became the first African team to advance beyond the group stages at the World Cup.

The country however last represented the continent at the global stage at the 1998 World Cup in France.