In the third act of Rocky Balboa’s sixth film (2006), the fighter, now in his 60s, is confronted by his son about his decision to return to the ring for a fight against the world heavyweight champion.
In addition to fears for his father’s health, Robert is afraid that Rocky will become a laughing stock. It is at this moment that Sylvester Stallone, giving life to the character that consecrated him in the cinemas, says the speech that synthesizes the spirit of the boxer.
“Life is not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
At the World Cup in Qatar, nobody embodies this principle like Morocco. “We are the Rocky Balboa of this Cup”, defined the Moroccan coach Walid Regragui, 47.
Classified at the knockout stage as the leaders of Group F, they left Belgium, Spain and Portugal behind before reaching the semi-finals, becoming the first African team to go so far in the competition.
The plot is almost as improbable as the story of the amateur fighter who became world champion by challenging established opponents.
“If they had told me at the start of the World Cup that we would reach the semifinals, beating Belgium, Spain and Portugal, I would have said it was impossible”, recognizes Regragui.
But the Moroccans arrived. This Wednesday (14), they will face France, current champions, at 4 pm (Brasília time), at the Al Bayt stadium, in Al Khor, in the last round before the dreamed decision, on Sunday (18).
The Morocco coach knows his opponent well. He was born in France, in Corbeil-Essonnes, a southwest district of Paris. Like half of the squad he manages, he is the son of Moroccan migrants and that’s why he chose to defend his parents’ nation.
First, he did it as a right back, from 2001 to 2009, during which time he ended up not having the chance to play in a World Cup. Between the 1998 edition, in France, and the 2018 edition, in Russia, the team experienced a hiatus in the competition.
Regragui also lacked the talent of the athletes he currently manages, many of whom are responsible for the two consecutive rankings. After starting his career in small clubs in France, he had Racing Santander, from Spain, as the biggest club in his career.
As a coach, he went through teams in Morocco and Qatar before finally having the chance to represent his country in a World Cup.
The opportunity came just three months before the start of the tournament in the Middle East, with the sacking of Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, 70, by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
He had led the group since 2019 and was responsible for classifying the team for the Cup, but the entity that runs football in the country pointed out “differences of ideas” to disconnect it.
It was a relationship issue. He was on a collision course with some of the main stars of the team, such as Hakim Ziyech, Chelsea striker, whom he accused him of not being dedicated in training and games.
When Regragui took over the national team, his first mission was precisely to regroup the squad. Bringing Ziyech back was one of his decisions. In the Cup, the striker has been one of the highlights of the team. He has a goal and an assist.
In addition to promoting the return of athletes removed by his predecessor, he sought to create a family environment. In Qatar, the coach not only allowed the players to take their family members, but also encouraged them to socialize during the competition.
One of the most striking images after the victory over Portugal, by 1 to 0, in the quarterfinals, was that of midfielder Sofiane Boufal dancing with her mother on the lawn of the Al Thumama stadium. Full-back Achraf Hakimi was also seen kissing his mother in the stands.
Boufal, born in France, and Hakimi, born in Spain, also represent an important feature of the cast. Half of the team was born in Europe, 13 of the 26 called up. Most chose to represent Morocco precisely because of the influence of their mothers.
“When you play for the national team, you are Moroccan. I only select the players that I think can bring something to the team. Many doubted these athletes. Many of them can play in Europe. In the national team, you have to create that team spirit,” he said. Ruled.
He is true to his tactical ideas. In the World Cup, he doesn’t mind seeing his team being tagged as a midfielder, having little possession of the ball and prioritizing, above all, counterattacks.
It’s his style and it will be maintained against France.
“We’re going to play with our strength. We’re in a semifinal, and that side of ball possession… It’s incredible how you journalists like ball possession. But what’s the point of ball possession if you only finish twice?”, he questioned .
A declared fan of Pep Guardiola, the coach said he had the Manchester City coach as his main reference for a long time. But he no longer follows the idol’s style, known for ball control football.
“if [o presidente da Fifa, Gianni] Infantino starts to give points for possession of the ball, then it will be different”, he joked.
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