Morocco’s Soccer Team Donated Blood After Deadly Earthquake Strikes The Country
Morocco’s national soccer team players donated blood to the injured after an earthquake killed more than 2,000 people on Friday Sep. 8.
Morocco’s men’s national soccer team has donated blood after a deadly earthquake killed more than 2,000 people on Friday Sep. 8.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck at 11:11 pm local time in the High Atlas Mountains, southwest of Marrakesh, a popular tourist destination.
Authorities said the quake was the biggest to hit the area in more than 100 years. It was felt as far as Spain and Algeria.
Authorities said most of the casualties had been in the mountainous areas, and at least 1,400 of the injured are in critical condition.
Following the earthquake, Morocco’s national soccer team shared on Twitter that their players had donated blood in “solidarity with the earthquake victims”.
Members that participated included the country’s team coach Walid Regragui, captain Romain Sass, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, and others.
“As Moroccan national team soccer players, our first duty is to make Moroccans happy and also to be on their side when something like this happens,” Moroccan player, Nayef Aguerd, said during an interview, according to the Guardian.
“We are living a difficult time for all of our fellow citizens. It’s time we pull together to save as many lives as possible. My condolences to all those who have lost a loved one,” Moroccan defender, Achraf Hakimi, said on Instagram on Saturday.
The team was scheduled to play Liberia in an Africa Cup Nations qualifier but the game was canceled due to the earthquake.
World leaders have offered to send in aid and support, including France and Germany – which have large populations of people with Moroccan origin – and Turkey, which was struck by a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in February.
