The unsung hero of the Atlas Lions' charge
Morocco's trophy hopes ended in a semi-final loss to France
The loss of Romain Saiss to injury was a big blow to Walid Regragui
The Atlas Lions captain can be proud of an admirable campaign
Morocco’s displays at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ were characterised by great togetherness, despite the number of changes Walid Regragui made when he took over. A young squad was led by captain Romain Saiss, who has been part of the Atlas Lions’ defence since 2012. Having experienced the ups and downs of the national team over the last decade, he was more than ready to step up as a leader at this tournament. Saiss’s organisational skills, honed after many years in Europe’s major leagues, were critical in marshalling the Moroccan backline into a tight unit. Saiss was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, scoring a goal in their group-stage match against Togo and solidifying his place in the starting XI. He was then called up by coach Herve Renard for Russia 2018, where he played against Spain and IR Iran.
At the 2019 AFCON, he was given the captain’s armband and at club level he moved from Wolves in the English Premier league to join Besiktas in Turkey in the summer of 2022. At Qatar 2022, Saiss broke the record as the Moroccan to have captained his side the most times at the World Cup, overtaking goalkeeper Ezzaki Badou, who had skippered the Atlas Lions in four matches at Mexico 1986. Saiss initially lined up alongside Nayef Aguerd in defence, but then seamlessly teamed up with Jawad El Yamiq when Aguerd was forced out with an injury. Until their semi-final against France, Morocco had only conceded one goal in the entire tournament, an own-goal at that. Saiss also scored the opening goal in his side’s 2-0 win over Belgium. “If you want to achieve something at this tournament, you need everyone on the same page and pulling in the same direction,” said Saiss.
The 32-year-old personified Morocco’s defensive solidity against Spain, a match where Luis Enrique’s side dominated possession but only managed one shot on target. He put on a similar display against Portugal, a team that had put six past Switzerland in the previous round. Saiss marshalled Morocco’s defence so tightly that Portugal only threatened Yassine Bounou’s goal on a few occasions, most of which came in the dying stages of the match. “It’s amazing for us, our families, Morocco, and Africa,” Saiss said after the victory over Portugal. “I can’t describe how it feels right now, but I’m grateful to everyone who’s supported us from the very beginning.” Unfortunately, Saiss had to leave the field injured after just 20 minutes of his team’s semi-final loss to France. He did so with his head held high having earned the esteem and gratitude of a nation.
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