Morocco–Spain football rivalry

Due to their proximity, relations between Morocco and Spain have very long and complicated chapters, which saw Spain and Morocco once parts of the Roman Empire. Morocco, as the staging point of many indigenous Islamised dynasties, would then conquer Spain as part of Al-Andalus, under the reign of the Umayyad Caliphate, Almoravid dynasty and Almohad Caliphate, both left significant cultural landmarks in Spain.{{Cite web |last=Benazizi |first=Aya |title=Moroccan-Spanish Relations Timeline: A Long History of Ups and Downs |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/03/347778/moroccan-spanish-relations-timeline-a-long-history-of-ups-and-downs |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=www.moroccoworldnews.com |language=en}} The rise of Catholic powers in the north enabled the Reconquista, slowly swallowed Muslim-dominated territories before annexing the Emirate of Granada in 1492, known as the Granada War.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-01-04 |title=529th anniversary of the conquest of Granada - Granada and Alhambra Official Tour Guide |url=https://www.gosiagranadaguide.com/post/529th-anniversary-of-the-conquest-of-granada |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Przewodnik Granada |language=pl}} Muslims and Jews were expelled from Spain in the aftermath of the war, and the two maintained complicated relations.

At the 19th century, following the Scramble of Africa, Spain would proclaim Protectorates in the Rif, Cape Juby and Western Sahara, resulting in the partition of Morocco between Spain and France.{{Citation |title=France and Spain in Morocco: The Early Years of the Protectorates (1912–1930) |date=2013 |work=A History of Modern Morocco |pages=88–119 |editor-last=Miller |editor-first=Susan Gilson |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/history-of-modern-morocco/france-and-spain-in-morocco/B92964B9CAE8F00E06DA539EC4315706 |access-date=2024-10-18 |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-81070-8}} The Rif War that lasted between 1921-1926 led by Abd el-Krim almost resulted in the expulsion of Spanish forces out of the Rif, before a joint Franco-Spanish expeditionary force would drive out the Riffians and restore Spanish control in 1926.{{Cite web |title=FRANCE, SPAIN AND THE RIF (Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War 1922-26) |url=https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/france-spain-and-the-rifrif-war-also-called-the-second-moroccan-war-1922-26/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Naval & Military Press |language=en-GB}} Morocco would later gain independence in 1956, and Spain would renounce all those territories, except for the disputed Western Sahara and the two cities of Ceuta and Melilla; Spain later vacated Western Sahara in 1975, enabling Moroccan troops to invade and occupy two-third of the territory due to the Green March.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=The Green March: A Unique Chapter in Post-Colonial Moroccan History |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/11/358776/the-green-march-a-unique-chapter-in-post-colonial-moroccan-history |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=www.moroccoworldnews.com |language=en}} However, the obstacles over Ceuta and Melilla sometimes flare up tensions between the two states til today.{{Cite web |last=elDiario.es |date=21 December 2020 |title=España convoca a la embajadora de Marruecos por unas declaraciones de su primer ministro sobre Ceuta y Melilla |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/espana-convoca-embajadora-marruecos-declaraciones-ceuta-melilla_1_6523031.html |access-date=22 December 2020 |website=ElDiario.es |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=AfricaNews |date=22 December 2020 |title=Moroccan Ambassador to Spain summoned over calls for territorial sovereignty talks |url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/12/22/moroccan-ambassador-to-spain-summoned-over-calls-for-territorial-sovereignty-talks/ |access-date=22 December 2020 |website=Africanews}}

Due to deeply intertwined and complex historical relations, Morocco and Spain have developed a long-standing rivalry. However, because they are affiliated to different confederations, Morocco and Spain often do not have much opportunities to face each other. The two first faced each other at the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification, where Spain triumphed in both matches in highly tense and ferocious atmospheres, 1–0 away in Casablanca and 3–2 home in Madrid to qualify for the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile.{{Cite web |title=World Cup 1962 Qualifiers : Spain beats Morocco 3-2 to qualify for 1962 World Cup |url=https://athlet.org/football/world-cup/1962/qualifiers/uefa/group-9-final/1961-11-23-spain-morocco.html |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=athlet.org}}

It took over 57 years since the two first met each other to finally play again, this time in group B of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where an already-eliminated Morocco stunned Spain with a fierce performance, holding Spain to a 2–2 draw, with Spain secured their first place at the dying minutes in a match filled with controversies surrounding VAR.{{Cite web |title=Spain 2-2 Morocco: Spain top Group B after dramatic turnaround |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11416733/spain-2-2-morocco-spain-top-group-b-after-dramatic-turnaround |access-date=2024-10-18}}{{Cite web |title=Andalusia, Franco and VAR: Why Morocco vs Spain will be spicy |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/qatar-world-cup-why-morocco-spain-spicy |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}} Just four years later, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Morocco and Spain would again clash at the World Cup, this time at the round of 16; Spain largely dominated but failed to penetrate against a highly organised Moroccan defence, before going down with a 3–0 defeat on penalties to their North African rival.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-05 |title=World Cup 2022: Morocco 0-0 Spain (3-0 pens) Achraf Hakimi chips winning penalty to reach quarters |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63789751 |access-date=2024-10-18 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}

All four previous meetings between the two nations have been competitive, and none happened in a friendly. Matches between two national teams often resulted in heated and unfriendly sentiment between the two sections of supporters due to deeply intertwined, connected and often troubled historical tie.{{Cite web |title=Morocco v Spain is more than football rivalry, it exposes historic tension |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221206-morocco-v-spain-is-more-than-football-rivalry-it-exposes-historic-tension/ |access-date=2024-10-18}}

• Morocco–Spain relations

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{{Spain national football team}}

{{Morocco national football team}}

{{Association football intercontinental rivalries}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morocco-Spain football rivalry}}

Spain

Football

Morocco

Category:International association football rivalries