Go Sports! Experiencing the World Cup like a Moroccan

What a treat to be able to travel all the way to Morocco and watch them take on Canada in the final round of 16 during the World Cup. Experiencing the game with them felt like I was home, writes Yashna Balwanth.

I can agree, World Cup fever hit me real hard this time round.

Besides the friendly rivalry at work and the momentum Bafana Bafana was building, I happened to be travelling to Morocco for a holiday trip.

I booked this almost a year ago, and as luck would have it, I arrived on the same day Morocco was playing against Canada.

Here’s a crazy idea, why not watch the game with the locals? You know, just for the gees and to see how different things really are from our South African family. Boy, was I in for a treat.

We headed to their fan park, which was located in the Medina Square in Marrakesh. Thousands of fans were standing around, glued to the one available screen in front of us.

It was 6pm in the evening and the temperature was around 36 degrees, with no sign of the sun setting anytime soon.

For every near miss and ball protected, the crowd rallied behind their team the whole way through.

You could hear the oohs and aahs and see hands go up in the air, and then suddenly, just after half-time, the first goal by Morocco was scored.

From the sound of vuvuzelas (see, it’s not just us) to cheering, singing and dancing, the crowd went wild.

There were guys walking around selling cold drinks (with the heat like that, it was much needed) as well as homemade baked goods to keep the masses hydrated and fed.

As the game intensified, you could feel the energy of the crowd and how much they wanted their team to progress to the next round.

Closing in on full time, another goal was scored, which felt like the Moroccans were cementing their place – what a time to be in Morocco!

That last goal scored in extra time was literally the cherry on top to watching such a fun match as everyone celebrated with joyful laughs, breaking out into more song and dance.