This year is poised to be none like no other for Morocco women’s national team as they will be participating in their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup which commences this Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Atlas Lionesses achieved the historic feat of qualifying for their maiden World Cup after finishing as runners-up on home soil at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Their performance at the competition was very commendable as they topped Group A with a maximum nine points ahead of Senegal, Burkina Faso and Uganda before going on to dispatch Botswana and record champions Nigeria in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. They were however powerless to stop South Africa in the final, losing 2-1.
One player that stood out for the Moroccan ladies during the tournament was captain Chebbak. The 32-year-old showed exemplary leadership with her finesse, creativity and goalscoring prowess. She finished as the 2022 WAFCON highest goalscorer with three goals and was also awarded as the best player of the tournament
Chebbak also plays at the club level for AS FAR. The Moroccan capital outfit are the most successful club in the history of the Moroccan Women’s Championship with 10 titles, all of which Chebbak has lifted.
AS FAR have won every league crown since 2013 except for 2015 when they were beaten to it by CM Laayoune.
Chebbak also has nine domestic cup titles, another club record in the North African country. She is also a current CAF Women’s Champions League winner after AS FAR defeated maiden champions Mamelodi Sundowns 4-0 in last year’s final.
Ghizlane Chebbak = The Atlas Lioness ????????????@EnMaroc | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/H4OSVNvCcx
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 14, 2023
Chebbak is one of seven AS FAR players in the 23-woman Morocco squad and that is a sign the Atlas Lionesses mean business and are ready to make an impression in Australia and New Zealand.
Morocco begin their campaign in Group H against two-time world champions Germany in Melbourne on July 24. They will also take on South Korea and Colombia.
The North African giants have had a very busy schedule in preparation for the Women’s World Cup, playing seven friendlies this year. It has not been plain sailing as they have won just two games. They have however been able to earn draws against fellow World Cup participants Italy and Switzerland.
Morocco’s job will not be easy as it’s their first World Cup outing, but the country has built a huge reputation in the past year, notably the senior men’s team at 2022 FIFA World Cup where they became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the Mundial.
Such a feat will be a motivating factor for the women which will no doubt have the Chebbak’s input in it.
