At Cafe Amistad on Jean-Talon Street in Montreal, the atmosphere remained festive the day after Morocco's historic 1-0 victory over Portugal in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on December 10, 2022. Discussions centered on soccer, but quickly shifted to other topics, reflecting the community's joy.
Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the World Cup semifinals, defeating Portugal with a goal by Youssef En-Nesyri in the 42nd minute. The win sparked celebrations among Moroccan diaspora communities worldwide, including in Montreal, which has a significant Moroccan population.
The victory was part of Morocco's remarkable run, where they also beat Belgium and Canada in the group stage and eliminated Spain on penalties in the round of 16. Their journey ended with a 2-0 loss to France in the semifinals and a 2-1 defeat to Croatia in the third-place match.
