00:04These are heady days for international football in North Africa.
00:11At the start of 2025, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia were all ranked in the top 50 on FIFA's rankings,
00:22while Morocco were entering their third year inside the top 15.
00:32And with the World Cup heading to Casablanca in 2030,
00:36it is not unrealistic to consider the Atlas Lions contenders for the biggest prize in football.
00:43We must prepare this team well to win the World Cup one day.
00:51Even if that sounds too much, we can say we tried.
00:59There will be ways to achieve it, but if the group doesn't believe, you have no chance.
01:04That's what I'm talking about.
01:06I insist on the collective spirit.
01:08If there is not that, there will be nothing.
01:13Morocco broke new ground for North African football by reaching the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
01:23In the group phase, they stunned pre-tournament favourites Belgium 2-0,
01:28then edged past Spain on penalties, before adding the scalp of Portugal in the quarterfinals.
01:36After 36 years, we are making history again, and we have celebrated it.
01:44We have been very happy, dancing and celebrating in the locker room.
01:48These days have been unforgettable and indescribable.
01:54France proved too strong in the semis, but there was jubilation amongst the travelling support for the team's history-making.
02:03It's more than a dream. It's incredible.
02:05It's national pride.
02:07It is historic what we are doing for our football and the lessons that we are giving ourselves.
02:11We are not seeing life as before.
02:13This changed our mindset.
02:16We are hanging from the lips of our coach.
02:18We can make it.
02:19We might not have the same chances in the game.
02:22We might not have the same infrastructure as the other teams.
02:25We might not have any hope to make it.
02:28But with a lot of heart and a lot of blessing, we will.
02:34Qatar 2022 extended Morocco's pioneering legacy for African football.
02:40In 1970, they became the first team from the continent to earn a point, when they drew 1-1 with
02:46Bulgaria.
02:48Then, at Mexico 86, they became the first African side to reach the round of 16.
03:02The first African nation to win their match at the World Cup was Tunisia, when they beat Mexico 3-1
03:09in 1978.
03:11The Eagles of Carthage grew into an established international side during the 1970s.
03:17But it would not be until 2004 that they would have anything to show for it.
03:25On home soil, Tunisia won their only Africa Cup of Nations to date,
03:31defeating heavyweights Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal en route to the title.
03:36The victory made coach Roger Lemaire the first in world football to win the Continental Championship in two confederations,
03:44after previously leading France to glory at Euro 2000.
03:56Algeria are enjoying the fruits of a golden generation, led by the outstanding Riyad Mahrez.
04:03The highlight so far came in 2019, when they secured only the second AFCON title in their history, and on
04:12Egyptian soil.
04:15Getting to the heart of it, we're African champions after 29 years.
04:20It's unbelievable, especially to be African champions away from our own country.
04:24The last one was in Algeria in 1990.
04:28African champions away is extraordinary.
04:33Prior to this, Algeria's greatest legacy on the biggest stage was being the victims of what became known as the
04:40disgrace of Guijon.
04:43In the 1982 World Cup, the Fenix caused one of the great upsets with a 2-1 victory over reigning
04:50European champions, West Germany.
04:55By the final match in the group between West Germany and Austria, with Algeria having already played their final group
05:02game the day before,
05:04the European teams knew that a West German win by one or two goals would qualify them both.
05:11After 10 minutes of all-out attack, West Germany scored.
05:15Then immediately afterwards, the two teams declined to attack for the rest of the match.
05:24Algeria protested to FIFA, who ruled that the result be allowed to stand.
05:29Then later introduced a revised system, in which the final two games in each group had to be played simultaneously.
05:44Egypt are an enigma of international football.
05:49They are record seven-time AFCON champions, but have only appeared at three World Cups and have yet to win
05:58a match on the game's greatest stage.
06:01Boasting English Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Mahmoush, the future looks bright.
06:08But those two individuals are outliers, with the vast majority of Egyptian internationals plying their trade in the domestic league.
06:15While this is a testament to the strength of the local competition,
06:19it is arguably holding back the pharaohs as a World Cup contending football nation.
06:25For more information, visit www.fema.gov.au
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