When Morocco faced South Korea at the FIFA World Cup, Nouhaila Benzina made history – not just as a player for the first ever Arab or North African country in the tournament. The 25-year-old centre-back also became the first player to wear the Islamic headscarf hijab during the World Cup.
– A lot of work has been done over many years, she tells Al Jazeera, reports AFP.
It was on Sunday that Nouhaila Benzina, who usually plays in Morocco’s top women’s league, ran onto the pitch in Adelaide to face South Korea with her Atlas Lionesses. The fact that she has now written herself into the history books as the first person to wear a hijab during a football World Cup is not something she has yet commented on to the media on site, but she tells Al Jazeera that it was a proud moment.
According to Asmaah Helal, one of the founders of the Muslim Women in Sports Network, Benzina will hopefully be seen as a role model for young girls and women in the sports world going forward.
– Girls will look at Benzina and think ‘that could be me’. Even the politicians, decision makers and administrators will say ‘we need to do more in our country to create these accepting and open inclusive spaces for women and girls to be able to participate in the game’, she says according to the Independent.
Hijab ban in French football
FIFA lifted its hijab ban nearly ten years ago, following earlier concerns about player safety. In other sports as well, the ban has been lifted in recent years, but in France, on the other hand, it is forbidden to wear the hijab during football matches – a decision that was met with protests.
The Moroccan national team, led by Frenchman Raynald Pedros, is at its first Women’s World Cup after a historic second-place finish at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Morocco won the match against South Korea 1-0, and on Monday, Nouhaila Benzina and her Atlas Lionesses will face two-time World Cup champions Germany.