Sofiane Boufal celebrates with his mother after defeating Portugal 1-0 at the World Cup in Qatar

Sofiane Boufal celebrates with his mother after defeating Portugal 1-0 at the World Cup in Qatar

🏆⚽🇲🇦 Sofiane Boufal celebrates with his mother after defeating Portugal 1-0 at the World Cup in Qatar

, Dec. 10, 2022. 

Moroccan fans exploded with joy Saturday as their team became the first from any African country to reach a World Cup semifinal, filling the stadium with a deafening roar and unleashing cheering, crying, dancing and singing on the streets back home. 

"They made us happy and proud, and they proved that they can make it to the final. Why not? We are so proud of this team that is supported by Africa and [the] Arabs" said Siham Motahir, a young woman in Rabat where cafes had filled with fans to watch the game. 

The 1-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal is Morocco's third over a highly ranked European team in the tournament, a run that had brought delight across the country and widespread support across the African continent and Arab world. (Reuters)