WATCH | Morocco's secret weapon: their moms

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco is seen with a family member who has been identified as his mother at full time of their World Cup last-16 win against Spain at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on December 6 2022.
Image: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Forget the wags — for Africa's heroic semifinal entrants Morocco their moms have been the secret weapon at the World Cup in Qatar.

As the Atlas Lions have carved the bravest of lionhearted paths to Wednesday night's semifinal against France, a feature has been how Morocco's players have repeatedly run to celebrate with their mothers.

After hitting the winning spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out against Spain in the last-16, Paris St-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi instantly ran in the direction of his mom in the stands, finding time to plant a kiss.

He sought her out for another smooch after the 1-0 win against Portugal in the quarterfinal.

Sofiane Boufal danced with his mum to celebrate Morocco reaching a historic World Cup SF. He used to watch her go to work every day at 6am & says she "sacrificed her life for me. I had to turn pro for her." Now he'll face France, his birth country, for a place in the final! ❤️🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/1YjjBmVdo5

Videos of Angers attacker Sofiane Boufal dancing on the pitch with his mom after the game against Portugal have gone viral.

Coach Walid Regragui was also filmed making his way to the stands to embrace his mother after the win against Spain.

Al Jazeera analyst Usher Komugisha tweeted: “Walid Regragui’s mother Fatima who has lived in Paris for more than 50 years has never travelled to watch him as a player or coach but he insisted she come to the World Cup in Qatar.

“Result? He inspired Morocco to a historic quarterfinal place.”

Reports have been that Regragui and Moroccan FA president Fouzi Lekjaa insisted on the players' families being in attendance at their matches in Qatar.

Morocco have captured the world's imagination becoming the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals.

At a World Cup dogged by negative press over the hosts' human rights record, Morocco's preference for family over the glitzy armies of wives and girlfriends (wags) football teams are often followed by has provided a wholesome feel-good story for the Qatar World Cup.

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