[Photo Credit: Nouhaila Benzina/Instagram]
Melbourne (Australia): Nouhaila Benzina created history on Monday July 25, 2023 when she became the first women footballer to play FIFA Women’s World Cup wearing Hijab.
Nouhaila Benzina is representing the Morocco national football team - "Atlas Lionesses”, in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament.
In another first, Morocco is the first country from the Arab World and North Africa to participate in the international tournament for women.
Nouhaila Benzina, the 25-year-old defender, who also plays for the Moroccan Royal Army Football Club (FAR), joined the national team in 2018.
Although Morocco lost to Germany by a score of 6-0 on Monday at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, football enthusiasts from the Arab world are hopeful for their strong comeback.
Prior to that, the Moroccan defender showcased her talent while playing for Morocco's U-20 team in 2017, according to Reuters.
FIFA lifted the ban on Hijabi players back in 2014. Nouhaila stands as a testament to the resilience and determination of Muslim women who fought for years to lift the Islamophobic ban imposed by FIFA on wearing the hijab.
In 2016, the under-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan marked the first time Muslim players wore headscarves during an international FIFA event, according to Associated Press.
Morocco is one of eight teams making their debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year, alongside Haiti, The Republic of Ireland, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Vietnam and Zambia.
Maryan Hagi-Hashi, a Melbourne resident who attended Morocco’s public practice session last week, said she is supporting the Atlas Lionesses alongside tournament co-host Australia. She appreciates the representation that the Moroccan team and Benzina provide, she said.
“There’s a mixture of (Muslim) women that wear hijab and don’t wear a hijab,” Hagi-Hashi said. “I think the world has realized there is diversity.”
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