At the 2024 Paralympic Games, the Moroccan blind football team took an option on September 2 to qualify for the semi-finals after its 1-0 victory against Japan. In this sport, two teams of five blind or partially sighted players compete, except the goalkeeper. The Moroccans have 4 points after 2 matches, as many as Colombia, whom they are facing on September 3. Having won a bronze medal in Tokyo, Morocco is therefore in a position to play for the podium again by the end of the week. A success that is the result of more than 15 years of development of this sport in the kingdom, explain the players and coach.
There is only one letter difference between him and the biggest star in Moroccan football, but Ayoub Hadimi can be proud of having won his Olympic medal before Ashraf Hakimi. It was in Tokyo: the culmination of years of work and a journey that illustrates that of most of his teammates: ” For me, and for many players, we started at school, we already had coaches who were used to the high level, and they helped us raise our level to reach the national team. “
Adapted balls in all specialized schools, a championship supported by a structured federation, and a long-term policy. These are the keys to success for one of its engineers, the coach Driss El Mountaqui: ” You know, Moroccans love football, so blind football players, you could say, learn from their elders. And the second thing is that, in Moroccan schools, that specialize in visual blindness, we start playing football very early. These are not balls with bells, but balls that make any sound. So, we play with that. There has been a very big progression, the work is paying off. “
In ten years, Morocco has gone from being last to its first world championship to contending for a second Olympic medal. But to perform, you also need qualities. Zouhair Snisla’s technical qualities are undeniable. Having become blind following an accident at the age of 12, the teenager who lived with the ball at his feet has transposed his passion to blind football: ” I was already playing football when I was little, always, in the street with my friends from the neighborhood. I became blind but I kept the passion, I played with my friends at school, and then I was lucky enough to have blind football. Of course, it took me some work to adapt, because it’s not the same sensation, but with the training courses with the national team, I was able to progress a lot. “
Zouhair Snisla will once again be Morocco’s main offensive weapon to challenge Colombia.
