[Newsmaker] [World Cup] France set up World Cup final with Argentina
Korea HeraldAPR 2 2023
The Spin
Narrative A
Morocco's unexpected success in the 2022 World Cup was powerfully symbolic, prompting a wave of Arab pride and solidarity around the world. But, by facing down a former imperial power in this match, the semi-final game also platformed the complexities of French-Moroccan fluid national identities and the developments made by Morocco since it gained independence.
Narrative B
This game was a win-win situation on the pitch for many French-Moroccan football supporters. Off the pitch, however, this demonstration of dual-national pride has stoked conflict and fired up the right-wing, by leading indigenous French nationalists to claim that Muslim immigrants are not loyal to France and are even part of the so-called "great replacement." The game did not promote unity but division.