Morocco’s Out. Who Are We Rooting For Now?

Morocco fell 2–0 to France today, and the ummah’s team at this World Cup is going home. Of all the teams that could have ended it — it had to be France. The universe has jokes, and none of them are funny tonight.

First, what’s owed: for a second straight World Cup, Morocco carried Africa, carried the ummah, and carried Palestine into every stadium they touched. The flags never came down. The chants never stopped. Whatever the scoreboard said, their fans made sure the world could not look away from Gaza during the biggest sporting event on earth. That’s a legacy no quarterfinal can erase. Dima Maghrib. 🇲🇦

But the tournament goes on, and every Muslim fan now faces the same question — the one currently tearing your group chat apart: who do we root for now?

We ranked all seven remaining teams on what actually matters to us: where their people and governments stand on Palestine, how they treat their Muslims, their colonial track record, and their Islamophobia receipts. Here’s the official table.

The rooting order

1. Norway. The quiet ones at the top. Norway recognised Palestine in 2024, helped bring the case to the World Court, and pulled the largest sovereign wealth fund on the planet out of companies tied to the occupation. That’s not a hashtag — that’s money moving. Almost no colonial history either, which is genuinely rare for Europe. Also, our heart is with Haaland. It simply is. 🇳🇴

2. Spain. No Western government went harder for Gaza — recognised Palestine, joined the World Court case, passed an arms embargo. Ten toes down. And the football gods left us one gift: Lamine Yamal, our Moroccan king, who waved the Palestinian flag at a rally before most politicians could finish drafting a statement. Moroccan blood is still in this tournament.

3. England. A Muslim community generations deep, woven into its football at every level. Also invented the largest empire in human history, so the vibes are complicated.

4. Belgium. Brussels is one of Europe’s most Muslim capitals. King Leopold’s Congo is one of history’s darkest chapters. A “yes, but…” if there ever was one.

5. Switzerland. Stayed “neutral” on Palestine while banning minarets by popular vote. Neutrality, it turns out, is also a choice.

6. France. Already the hardest place in Western Europe to be Muslim — the largest Muslim population on the continent, and the state that restricts it most. Their players are French when they win and “foreign” the moment they lose. And now they’ve knocked out Morocco. We’re not saying don’t watch. We’re saying we understand if you can’t.

7. Argentina. One of the most pro-Israel governments on earth. No other words needed. If you know, you know.

How to use this table this weekend

The bracket is about to test your iman. Tomorrow it’s Spain vs Belgium — that’s a comfortable Spain pick (2 beats 4, and Yamal is involved). Saturday brings Norway vs England — the top of our table collides, but Norway is the answer. And then Argentina vs Switzerland… listen. Hold your nose and back the Swiss. Sometimes fandom is just damage control.

France, unfortunately, is already through. Pray for a Norway–France semifinal. Justice has a schedule.

The part that actually matters

Morocco’s players fly home, but their message shouldn’t. Those flags were never really about football — they were about making sure a watching world remembered Gaza. That job doesn’t end at the quarterfinals, and it was never only Morocco’s to carry.

So tonight, make dua for the Atlas Lions and everything they gave us. Make dua for Palestine. And while your hands are already raised — it costs nothing to add a quick “…and ya Allah, my naseeb too.” Might as well ask for it all. 🤲

Somewhere out there, your person is also heartbroken over this Morocco loss. Imagine healing together on the first call. 

Start with Muzz — where muslims marry.