Jubilant Morocco welcomes home history-making World Cup team

By TARIK EL-BARAKAH
Associated Press

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Tens of thousands of jubilant Moroccans have welcomed home their national soccer team after the players exceeded their wildest expectations and finished fourth at the World Cup in Qatar. Fans packed squares and lined up along avenues and streets in and around Rabat, lighting flares, waving flags, dancing to the beat of drums and cheering as an open-top bus carrying the team rolled into the capital with a heavy police escort on Tuesday. Smiling players and coach Walid Regragui waved, blew kisses and snapped selfies. The bus was heading to the royal palace so King Mohammed VI could congratulate the team’s accomplishment ss the first African or Arab one to reach the World Cup semifinals.