In terms of sport, Nouhaila Benzina made a rather inconspicuous appearance in the 1-0 victory of the Moroccan women’s soccer team against South Korea. Solid in defence, a yellow card. Nevertheless, the central defender made history – and not just because she was on the field for the first World Cup victory in the history of the women’s team Morocco.
She was the first woman to wear a hijab on her head. Fifa had long banned the wearing of religious hats – officially for “health and safety reasons”. After protests from players and officials, the ban was lifted in 2014 before the women’s U17 World Cup in Jordan. Nevertheless, it took nine years for a footballer to make use of the right to wear the hat at a World Cup match.
As a result, Nouhaila Benzina inevitably stands out on the football field and is the center of attention. However, the 25-year-old herself does not want to make big things out of the matter, at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand she has not yet commented on the media. In the first group game, the 6-0 defeat against the German team, Benzina did not play.
Morocco is the first Arab country to qualify for a Women’s World Cup. “We feel we have a great responsibility to project a good image and show the achievements that the Moroccan football team has achieved by qualifying for the World Cup,” said captain Ghizlane Chebbak ahead of the World Cup Begin. According to Assmaah Helal, co-founder of a network for Muslim women in sport, Benzina’s performance can be an inspiration for many young players: “Girls will look at her and think: That could be me,” she told the AP news agency.
Sources: AP
