France, July 10 -- Within minutes of the final whistle, the fan zone in central Casablanca emptied. But despite the disappointing result, there was little bitterness among fans of the Atlas Lions.

"They played well," said one supporter. "We tried to play our game too, but we lost. Good luck to France - I'm sure they'll go on to win the World Cup."

Morocco were the last African team left in the 2026 World Cup and became the first nation from the continent to reach the quarter-finals in consecutive tournaments.

Supporters had hoped Morocco would go further, but many said they remained immensely proud of a side that has captured the imagination of the country. Morocco's Gessime Yassine looks dejected after the team's defeat by France put ...