Surfer Ramzi Boukhiam: "There's something going on with Moroccan sport this year."
The Tokyo 2020 Olympian, who made history of his own earlier this year, is ready to watch his Atlas Lions take on France in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals
Surfing
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is uniting a history-making Moroccan surfer with a team of history-making Moroccan footballers.
Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ramzi Boukhiam, who this season became the first Moroccan surfer to qualify to the World Surfing League Championship Tour, is relishing a fabulous sporting year for his nation.
"There is an energy. There is something going on with Moroccan sport this year. Me then them. It's crazy," Boukhiam told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview on the eve of his compatriots' latest date with destiny. "The Lions woke up."
The male footballers have become the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals where they will come up against reigning champions France on Wednesday (14 December).
And Boukhiam could not miss the opportunity to witness history first hand.
"I took my flight straight away from Hawaii, straight through to Doha, straight to Qatar," he explained. "I got here the day before the first game against Spain. That was crazy because we beat them."
Boukhiam enjoyed the experience so much, he changed his flight to watch their quarter-final match against Portugal, a win that propelled them to their historic semi-final appearance.
"That was unbelievable," he said. "This is what I really liked about this World Cup and what I hear now around [from] all the Moroccans in the world. I see that this World Cup, this sport, is bringing everyone together. It's crazy. All Moroccans, all Africans, all Arabs... Everyone is happy for us. It's crazy."
The 29-year-old has a good feeling about his team and big dreams.
"This team looks so, so, so strong together," he said. "We are going to go to the final tomorrow and maybe win the World Cup. I feel it.
"Tomorrow, it's on."
• Get to know Olympic-qualified surfers Ramzi Boukhiam and Anat Lelior