Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has praised Morocco after they kept their World Cup hopes alive with a thrilling victory over the Netherlands.
The Atlas Lions roared back from a goal down to grab a last-ditch equaliser to force extra time, before prevailing 3-2 in a tense shoot-out. The win secured Morocco's place in the last 16 of the tournament, as they set their sights on making another history-making run at the finals.
Morocco became the first Arab side in history to reach the World Cup semi-finals during a stunning performance in Qatar in 2022. They next face Canada on July 4 with an opportunity to secure a place in the last eight of this year's competition.
"Congratulations to the Atlas Lions. A fighting spirit and a display of Arab brilliance on the world stage. Our joy today is Moroccan," Sheikh Mohammed said in a post on X.
Egypt and Algeria are aiming to make it a memorable hat-trick for Arab teams when they go for glory in their last 32 matches on Friday.
Egypt take on Australia, while Algeria will line up against Switzerland, with a place in the last 16 of the competition up for grabs.
