Moroccans in Ireland are dreaming of the World Cup and making history as its first ever African winners.
Tonight the Atlas Lions take on France, the current World Cup holders – in a seismic semi-final battle for a place in Sunday’s final.
Dino Rafik, 58, from Casablanca, would love to win it 45 years after Brazilian legend Pele, who is ill in hospital, tipped the African continent to produce a winner.
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Dino told the Irish Mirror: “Our hearts believe we will win, but our brain knows it will not be easy against France.
“They are magnificent players at some of the world’s top clubs. These are our emotions.
“Pele said in 1977 that an African country will win it. I would like that to happen at this World Cup for him.
“It would be a dream for this to come true. For now, we have to win the semi-final. After that, we will think about the final.”
Pele had said “an African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000”.
Dino is manager of Moroccan restaurant Dada on South William Street in Dublin, where passers-by have called in to wish good luck to Morocco. He said: “Our restaurant has been very busy and people are coming in just to eat and enjoy the matches with us.
“We put a TV in the restaurant and we’re managing the rosters so our Moroccan workers can watch the matches. People on the street have come in to tell us that they want Morocco to win.”
Morocco has beaten Belgium and Spain and reach this point.
Spain and France both ruled swathes of Morocco in the colonial era – and many Moroccans now live in both countries.
Morocco are the last African team in the tournament and were only the fourth to ever reach the quarters after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Dino, who came to Ireland in 2001, said: “It would be a dream to beat Spain and France.”
Moroccans celebrated their knockout win over Spain with people across the Middle East and north Africa claiming the victory for the entire Arab world.
Fans cheered as Morocco became the first Arabic-speaking country to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Coverage of France versus Morocco begins on RTE Two from 6pm with kick-off at 7pm.
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