It became clear, after the end of the historic match between Morocco and Spain, on Tuesday, the size of the gap between Algerians and some of their local media. While the “Desert Warriors” fans celebrated the victory of their neighbor, the “Atlas Lions”, Algerian official media was completely absent from the news, and others contented themselves with referring to Spain’s loss.
However, other Algerian media outlets touched on the news of the “Atlas Lions” victory, including An-Nahar Algerian website Who wrote: “Morocco defeats Spain and reaches the quarter-finals,” accompanying the news with a picture, “for the first time in the history of the Arabs.” On the other hand, he contented himself with Sunrise website Titled: “Morocco National Team in the World Cup Quarter-Finals”, with a short piece of news telling brief details of the match, without addressing the importance of this victory.
The division between the Algerian public and some of its media appeared in the comments on Facebook, where the followers of the “Algeria International Channel” page commented on a post that said: “Spain fails to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup after losing on penalties to Morocco,” and attached a picture that does not indicate To the Moroccan national team only through the presence of a Moroccan player in it.
And the “Algeria International Channel” is a public channel affiliated with the state, and is independent of the TV Corporation, according to what was stated by its general director, Salim Agar, upon its launch.
Followers mocked this coverage, and an Algerian commentator wrote: “Congratulations to Morocco for the well-deserved victory. We were praying for them to win. God willing, victory over Portugal as well.”
Another person asked: “Why didn’t the page write that Morocco beats Spain and qualifies for the quarter-finals?”, And one of them also commented: “Add that the Moroccan Arab team is victorious over Spain (..) This media does not represent Algeria, congratulations to the brotherly Moroccan team.”
Commenting on this, the Algerian political activist lawyer, Saleh Abdel Rahman, said in an interview with Al-Hurra website that what some Algerian media outlets did was a “media failure.”
And he considered that “the news was supposed to be reported as it is, regardless of any political differences, especially since the matter is related to pure sports competition.”
He stressed that “the Moroccan national team does not represent the political system in its country, but rather represents Morocco as a state, people and nation,” adding, “Therefore, it has all our support and encouragement, and this is what the Algerian people expressed in various places, when they went out to celebrate the victory of the Moroccan national team.”
He explained that “this encouragement is mutual, as even Moroccans were supporting the Algerian national team in the Arab Cup and World Cup competitions during the year 2014, and this is an expression of the brotherhood that exists between the two peoples regardless of political differences.”
Indeed, videos spread on social media of Algerians expressing their joy at Morocco’s victory, and others of Moroccan and Algerian fans celebrating together in several countries around the world, raising Moroccan and Algerian flags.
A beautiful video of Cheraga (Algiers) during Hakimi’s last shot on goal synonymous with a historic qualification for Morocco.#MARESP pic.twitter.com/zCQOt5vrsH
— Chebli Ishaq (@IshaqChebli) December 6, 2022
The joy of the Algerian public in the capital at Hakimi’s last kick #Morocco _ Spain https://t.co/TY7H7Il4hz
– Khadija Ben Qana (@Benguennak) December 6, 2022
FRATERNITY between Algerians and Moroccans in Doha ????????????????????????#FIFAWorldCup #MAR pic.twitter.com/pifzuku9kG
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) December 6, 2022
In contrast to several media outlets in Algeria, Algerian media professionals on social networking sites congratulated the Moroccan national team for its historic victory and its qualification to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar.
What we like to see ❤️
This war between the 2 really only exists on the networks pic.twitter.com/rRW9bXufpk
– Abdallah ???????? (@abdallah_dz213) December 6, 2022
Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni wrote on his Twitter account that the Morocco match was “historic”, while sports journalist Osmani Kamel said in a tweet: “The Moroccan national team makes history in the Qatar World Cup and crosses into the quarter-finals at the expense of Spain,” and congratulated the “Moroccan” team. For his honorable performance in the tournament.” He continued, “The players deserve all the appreciation.”
The Moroccan national team makes history in the World Cup in Qatar and crosses the quarter-finals at the expense of Spain ????❤
Bravo to the Moroccan national team for their honorable performance in the tournament, players who deserve all the appreciation ????????
Congratulations ???? pic.twitter.com/V3wENpAKDo— ???????? Osmani Kamel (@kamouk16) December 6, 2022
History ???????? ♥️ ???????? https://t.co/r8mhA6CaBc
— Khaled Drareni (@khaleddrareni) December 6, 2022
The celebration of Morocco’s victory was absent from the pages of the most prominent Algerian political figures, as well as from the official news agency.
Therefore, Abd al-Rahman continued his speech, saying that “the failure of the local agencies to mention the news of the victory is also a failure, and it is not permissible to commit it.”
He pointed out that “it is no secret that most of the Algerian media outlets do not express the Algerian public opinion, nor the popular will, but only convey the official point of view, or the political party that finances it.”
It is noteworthy that some Algerian media outlets that touched on Morocco in the context of their coverage of the World Cup, such as Al-Bilad newspaper, said in their main headlines related to the match between the “Atlas Lions” and Spain that the Moroccan team won on penalties and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, without praising this historic victory.
World Cup – Final Eight:#Morocco Exceed #Spain Penalty shootout and reach the quarter-finals #world Cuphttps://t.co/olNY2HTtiV#FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022 #Morocco _ Spain pic.twitter.com/o7Bd8r9zaQ
– EL BILAD – the country (@El_Bilade) December 6, 2022
Algerian radio was completely absent from the event, while it wrote in the sports section that “Portugal sweeps Switzerland by six and qualifies for the quarter-finals of the World Cup,” a match that came immediately after the Morocco-Spain match. The radio’s website did not mention Morocco’s victory. In turn, the Algerian Information Agency was also absent from the event.
On the other hand, Algerian pages also expressed their joy at Morocco’s victory. The Algerian page DZfoot, which transmits football news and has a million followers, wrote that the Algerian people support the Moroccan people, especially after the country’s national team reached the quarter-finals, despite all the gossip and hatred written on the communication sites.
Far from all the hateful and malicious trolls on social networks, the Algerian people are behind the Moroccan people for this round of 16 which we hope will be historic. Your brothers and neighbors are with you ديما مغرب ???????????????? ????????❤️ #MARESP pic.twitter.com/0QVBOnfPFn
— DZfoot (@DZfoot) December 6, 2022
It is noteworthy that Algeria cut off diplomatic relations with Rabat last year. The two countries have been at loggerheads for a long time over the issue of sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The Moroccan national team became the first Arab team to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup, after winning 3-0 over Spain on penalties, after their confrontation in the round of sixteen ended in a draw without goals.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets’ penalty shootout attempts after Pablo Sarabia hit the post, then Spanish-born Hakimi maintained his composure to set the Moroccan national team on a quarter-final date with Portugal.
Morocco also became only the fourth African country to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, 12 years after Ghana achieved the feat in South Africa.
This is the fourth time that Spain has lost on penalties in the World Cup and the second in a row.