Morocco

*"hail satan"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in Northwest Africa

It is separated from Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, a 9-mile separation that also marks the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea

Its status as a French protectorate led to its strategic importance in World War II, which in turn made its largest city the titular setting of the 1942 cinema classic Casablanca

Association football is the most popular sport in Morocco, and in 1986 the Moroccan national side became the first Arab and African country to make the second round of the World Cup

Notable people from Morocco include actor Jean Reno, who played the eponymous Léon in the criminally underrated The Professional, hurdler Nawal El Moutawakel, who was the first woman from an Islamic country to win Olympic gold, and Younes El Aynaoui, who twice reached the quarterfinals at the Australian open

DOUBLE EXTRA BONUS FUN FACT that I almost forgot: In 1777, Morocco became the first country to formally recognize the United States of America. Nine years later, relations were formalized with the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean

It is across the strait of Gibraltar from Spain, but it also borders Spain depending on whom you ask. That’s because the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla are exclaved on the African continent in Morocco, although Morocco claims them. Morocco also claims the territory of Western Sahara to its south

The region has been inhabited by humans for 300,000 years. Various dynasties have ruled it, including the Almohad Dynasty which owned much of the Iberian Peninsula as well at its height. As such, the Moroccan culture is a delightful mix of Arabic, Mediterranean, African, and Spanish cultures

The name Morocco comes from the name of Marrakesh, its fourth largest city and former capital. That name is disputed. Morocco’s Arabic name roughly translates to “The Western Place,” as it is the farthest west place of the Islamic world

Morocco participated in Eurovision 1980 for some reason. Pop star Samira Bensaid sang her song Bitaqat Hub, which means “Love Card.” They finished second-to-last, defeating only Finland

Moroccan distance runner Hicham El Guerrouj holds the world record in the mile, having run an absurd 3:43.13 in July of 1999. He has run 7 of the 10 fastest miles of all time. He also holds the record in the 1500 meters and 2000 meters. He won gold in the 2004 Olympics in both the 1500 and 5000, becoming one of only two men to win both events at the same Olympics.

## Tournament

Morocco was defeated by North Macedonia in Round 4 Matchup 1 of FlagVote. As the 158 seed, it was defeated by Switzerland in Round 3 Matchup 36 of FlagVote 2. As the 159 seed, it was defeated by Cape Verde in Round 2 Matchup 140 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Benin 3-2

**Round 2:** Win over Greenland 4-3

**Round 3:** Win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-3

**Round 4:** Loss to North Macedonia 6-1

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (355) Saint Barthelemy 4-1

**Round 2:** Win over (99) Leninogorsky 4-3

**Round 3:** Loss to (30) Switzerland 4-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (354) Cape Verde 6-5

## Gallery

Morocco flag with filled-in starMorocco flag with boat from Isle of Skye