Ghazal, the captain of the Moroccan women’s football team, expressed her satisfaction with the atmosphere within her new team, Levante Las Planas of Spain, in her first professional experience outside of Morocco. She indicated that playing in “La Liga” had been a childhood dream that finally came true after carefully considering various offers she received from her former team, Royal Army.
During a question and answer section Ghazal, she laid out the reality of women’s football in Morocco compared to Spain, considering the last stage of the Paris Olympics qualifiers to be the most challenging, facing a strong team like Zambia, awaiting qualification. Below are some of the questions are her response
How do you find the professional atmosphere outside of Morocco? Have you adapted quickly?
The atmosphere here in Spain with my new team, Levante, is just as good as I imagined the experience would be. I’m trying to adapt to the group now, and things are going well, thank God.
How did you choose Levante despite receiving multiple offers from other clubs?
My choice of Levante came after a thorough study of several professional offers I received. I ultimately chose Levante without hesitation because playing in the Spanish ‘La Liga’ has been my dream since childhood.
How did you deal with leaving the Royal Army, where you made a name for yourself and spent many years?
To be honest, it was difficult for me to leave the team where I grew up and played for many years, to the point where I no longer consider it just a team but a family, and the players are like sisters to me. But it’s part of life, and when we have ambitions and goals, we have to make sacrifices. However, the Royal Army will always remain in my heart; I follow and support them always, confident that they will remain at the top.
You have one more step left to qualify for the Paris Olympics. What are your thoughts on the last match of the qualifiers?
Our full focus is on the last stage; it’s the final and toughest step against the strong Zambian team. Qualifying for the Olympics is a dream, and we will fight for it to continue making history.
How do you find the level of women’s football in Morocco currently?
The level of Moroccan women’s football is progressing on the path of development compared to when I started, for example, and we can see this in the results of the national women’s team. But we must ensure continuity and continue working to reach better levels and have a major and competitive professional league. Today, all conditions are favorable, and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation provides all means of supporting women’s football. We have great talents, and we are required to continue working to make our women’s championship renowned nationally and internationally.
What are the main differences between competing in Morocco and playing in Spain?
Here in Spain, the disparity between the capabilities and levels of women’s football clubs is slight, excluding Barcelona, which stands out the most in women’s football in Spain. All clubs work seriously to improve the players’ levels. In contrast, in Morocco, we see only three or four clubs showing real interest in women’s teams and making efforts to improve playing conditions, not to mention the work done by the federation through the study and sports program that helped players and raised the level. She further said, i hope all clubs commit to developing their women’s teams to elevate the practice locally, and the competition in the local league becomes fiercer. In Morocco, we have talented players who just need support and integration into real sports projects to reach a better level.
A piece of advice from Ghazal, the captain of the Moroccan team, to all aspiring players to wear the ‘Lions’ jersey?
For all Moroccan players aspiring to wear the national team jersey, firstly, it’s a responsibility and an honor. International recognition isn’t given as a gift; it comes through hard work, dedication, professionalism, and humility. Dreams are legitimate, but they remain just dreams if we don’t wake up to work hard and strive. I encourage women to honor the Moroccan flag in all sports, especially football, to strengthen the ranks of the Moroccan team in future competitions.
A final word for Moroccan women?
A happy International Women’s Day to Moroccan women in all fields. I wish them happiness, fulfillment, and success, and may they always be a source of pride for us.
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