Moroccan Soccer Drama Goes International
Another Moroccan scandal hit the international media–this time about soccer. I'm not a fan, and I don't watch it, but when I was in Morocco, I always remembered my friends swearing after the national team's game because they lost every time. There's also a joke that every time they fly somewhere to play a match, Moroccans ask the pilot to keep the plane engine running because the quicker they play, the quicker they lose, the quicker they'll get kicked out and have to run back to the plane.
But this time, the soccer drama was different as it came from a famous soccer player who plays for Chelsea, Hakim Ziyech who the American sports media outlet SB Nation released an article entitled "Hakim Ziyech Calls It Quits with Morocco National Team 'No desire to go back.'"
The media outlet added that "Hakim Ziyech has decided to put an end to all the drama with the Morocco National Football team…" Thank God. I'm not the only one who calls it 'Moroccan Drama.' Drama is a big part of daily Moroccan life, but many find it weird when you link the Drama to soccer as it's men's business, and the men's world is supposed to be Drama free…not in Morocco, though.
His decision shocked many people in Morocco, while many others reminded everybody that Hakim is a Dutch citizen. He was doing a favor to Morocco when he wore the national shirt to represent them in the big soccer events where Morocco played.
Many others, in an attempt to destroy his reputation (very common when you are successful in Morocco), highlighted a dark period of his life, which he had already gone public about, where he fell into the world of alcohol, smoking, and drugs at the age of 10 when he lost his father–his first supporter. After being shaken by his father's death, Aziz Doufikar, a former Moroccan player, in Holland saved him from his situation and helped him become who he is today.
While I don't think it will be the last Moroccan soccer drama that gets exposed publicly, Moroccan Drama continues…
BY Simo Ben
