When Belgium reluctantly accepted a 0-0 draw with Croatia, Morocco beat Canada 2-1 in another match that started at the same time, and with a record of two wins and one draw, Morocco was at the top of the group. Belgium, on the other hand, finished third and missed the knockout round of the World Cup in Qatar. The sadness of the Belgian fans coincides with the ecstasy of the Moroccans, and the joys and sorrows of human beings are very real in this moment.
The loneliness of Belgium
It is still second in the FIFA standings, and Belgium even has the capital to attack the Gold Cup. This is not only because they were the third runners-up in the last edition, but also because the core players in the team, most of them are the core figures of the five major league giants, but Belgium with such a luxurious configuration has not even qualified for the group stage.
In the first game against Canada, Belgium was exhausted, and the 1-0 result could only be described as a fluke, and the Canadian had far more running distance and shooting opportunities than Belgium. Belgium stole a victory that belonged to the Canadians. In the second match against Morocco, Belgium lost 0-2 directly and lost crisply. Throughout the game, Belgium fell behind in an all-round way, and it was almost a rout after the Moroccan goal, which made people a little trance-like for a while, who is the second in the world on the field?
Looking at the lost Belgian players after the game, where did the Belgium that once dared to fight France go? Where did Belgium, which beat Japan by three goals, go? We don't even expect Belgium to be in the World Cup four years from now...
Carnival in Morocco
Morocco, which had previously only been in Africa, firmly controlled its own destiny. In the first two rounds against the top four teams of the last World Cup, Morocco played steadily and scored four points with strength. Before the World Cup, it was also revealed that the manager was forced away, and Morocco, whose teams were not compatible, seemed to have changed a team, and they were extremely eager to qualify.
"If you trust him and let him trust you, then he will fight to the death for you and fight to the death for the team." This is the Moroccan coach's assessment of Ziyech, Ziyech is just a microcosm of the Moroccan team, Morocco from the moment it stepped on the World Cup stage, "life and death on the line". They deserve to finish first in the group, and the Moroccans are better than the experienced two European powers.
Morocco's performance from the group was satisfying enough, and although they faced the mighty Spain next, the Moroccans' revelry had already begun, and the chances were slim.
Belgium's golden generation has come to an end, and with Belgium out of the group, this is a firm fact. Recall the spirit of this group of players when they first debuted, recall the infinite scenery of Hazard, De Bruyne and other players in their respective clubs, and look at the success and failure of the World Cup four years ago, and the tragic end of this year's World Cup, one has to sigh.
The loneliness of Belgium's golden generation sets off the magic of Morocco. After reaching the knockout rounds, Morocco will meet Spain, which is another reunion. The two sides met in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, when Morocco caused Spain a lot of trouble. In that game, Morocco, which had only 25% possession of the ball, snatched a point from Spain with only three shots on goal. Ziyech, who lived through that game, should remember the image of Morocco being equalised by a goal from Aspas in the final moments.
"It is not easy for each of us to finish first in the same group as the runners-up and semi-finalists of the last World Cup, but we want to show our worth. We have been criticised as an African country, but Africa has good players, good coaches and we have to enjoy that. Moroccan coach Regraguei said.
As someone who took on the role of manager shortly before the start of the World Cup, it was not easy to lead the team out of the group where the runners-up and third places were in the previous World Cup. The 47-year-old Moroccan, both as a player and from his previous coaching experience, fans know very little. But since his appointment at the end of August this year, his fate has changed completely.
"Fifty Knowing Destiny", at the age of approaching the Destiny of Heaven, Regragui broke through the limitations of his original destiny, and every step forward he and his team took was to write a new history of Moroccan football. When Morocco plays the dark horse in the World Cup in Qatar, how will Belgium feel on the flight home? Will they regret it? Or numbness? Or continue the absurd infighting? Two groups of people in the same land, their joys and sorrows are not the same.