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Morocco's Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds / Photo: © AFP
NYSE - LSE
Morocco's Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds
The Moroccan team were greeted by thousands of fans in Rabat on Wednesday for a parade to celebrate their historic victory in the Under-20 World Cup last week.
Morocco became the first Arab country to win the tournament with a 2-0 triumph over favourites Argentina in Sunday's final in Chilean capital Santiago.
Before the parade, Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan presided over a ceremony in honour of the team at the royal palace.
The players were then driven through the streets of Rabat on an open-top bus, to the delight of jubilant supporters and to the sound of vuvuzelas.
"It's a great achievement, they filled us with joy and waved our country's flag high," Youssef, a 34-year-old salesman, told AFP.
Yassir Zabiri, who plays for Famalicao in Portugal, scored twice in the final to end the tournament as the joint top-scorer with five goals.
"The future of our football is in good hands. Well done guys, U20 world champions," Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, who helped the senior team reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, posted on social media.
Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations later this year and will be co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
M.Powell--SFF
