Morocco’s World Cup success sparks a debate about Arab identity
A country that was the butt of jokes a month ago is now a regional hero
THE SYMBOLISM was almost too much for a single football match. A former colonial power defended its title against the country it once occupied. Some members of one squad could just as well have played for their opponents in a clash of hyphenated identities. The underdogs embraced a symbol of regional struggle as their own, even as their countrymen argued about whether they truly belonged to that region.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Of lions and pride”
Middle East & Africa December 17th 2022
From the December 17th 2022 edition
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