Morocco made history by securing their first-ever Olympic medal in men’s football with a commanding 6-0 victory over Egypt in the bronze medal match at Paris 2024 on Thursday.
The Atlas Lions, inspired by their star player Soufiane Rahimi, delivered a breathtaking performance that completely overwhelmed the Egyptian team, leaving fans at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes in stunned silence.
Rahimi, the tournament’s leading scorer, added two more goals to his impressive tally, bringing his total to eight throughout the Games. In doing so, he became the first player in Olympic football history to score in six consecutive matches.
Morocco started strongly, with Abde Ezzalzouli opening the scoring in the 23rd minute with a beautiful curling shot from the edge of the box. Rahimi quickly followed up with a powerful header just three minutes later, doubling Morocco’s lead and putting the result virtually out of reach.
Any hopes Egypt had of mounting a comeback were quickly dashed as Morocco continued their relentless attack after the halftime break. Bilal El Khannouss added a third goal in the 51st minute with a low shot past goalkeeper Hamza Alaa. Rahimi then netted his second goal of the match, making it 4-0 just after the hour mark.
The Atlas Lions weren’t done yet. Akram Nakach joined in on the scoring, tapping in from close range after a selfless assist from Rahimi. Captain Achraf Hakimi completed the rout with a stunning free-kick that soared into the top corner in the final moments of the match.
This emphatic win marked a significant turnaround for Morocco, who had narrowly missed out on the gold medal match following a heartbreaking late defeat to Spain in the semifinals. The bronze medal, Morocco’s first-ever Olympic football accolade, is a momentous achievement not just for the team, but for the entire African continent.
Rahimi, who was the standout performer of the tournament, expressed his joy after the match.
“This is a dream come true for us,” Rahimi said. “We promised our people that we would win a medal, and we have delivered. This is a historic moment for Moroccan and African football.”
As the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament comes to a close, Morocco can take pride in their historic achievement, knowing they have etched their name in the annals of Olympic and African football history.
