The roaring of Moroccan citizens on the streets was matched online as thousands of Moroccan and foreign internet users or «netizens» expressed admiration for the impressive hero’s welcome dedicated to the national football team in Rabat following a marvelous World Cup run.
Moroccans waved flags and danced in joy as the bus carrying the national team paraded streets in Sale and Rabat towards the palace where they were received by King Mohammed VI and Princes Moulay El Hassan and Moulay Rachid.
A proportion of 93% of Moroccan posts showed pride and satisfaction at seeing the players, accompanied by their mothers, being awarded royal wissams by the monarch in recognition of their spectacular performance.
Netizens from other countries commented and applauded pictures and videos of the reception, praising the special police apparatus that was deployed on the occasion.
The hashtags #royal palace, #atlas lions, #Rabat, #King’s reception were the most trending nationally on Twitter and Facebook.
Argentinians draw comparisons between the chaotic parade of their football team and Morocco’s civilized and orderly crowds. “En Marruecos” (In Morocco), was tweeted 12,600 times and ranked 9 in Argentinian trending on Twitter.
The majority of Moroccan internet users criticized the absence of a good commentator on the national TV to convey and capture the emotions and excitement running high among the audience in words, besides pictures.
An inconsequential 3% of comments dwelled on price hike and other subjects considered trivial in the heat of the moment.