After eliminating Portugal from the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Atlas Lions made history by becoming the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals.
Social media users spread rumors about Moroccan player Hakim Ziyech donating his 2022 World Cup bonuses to poor people because he is known for his charitable activities.
Who Is Hakim Ziyech?
Hakim Ziyech is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Chelsea of the Premier League and the Moroccan national team.
Despite being eligible to represent either the Netherlands or Morocco at the international level, he played for Morocco in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In 2019, he was named one of the top 20 players in the UEFA Champions League for the 2018-19 season.
He was ranked 29th on The Guardian's list of "The 100 Best Players in the World" at the end of that year.
Hakim Ziyech’s 2022 World Cup Performance
Hakim Ziyech is having an outstanding World Cup with Morocco and has shown former coach Vahid Halilhodzic that he is a shining star.
Ziyech's contributions on the field were crucial in ensuring the team's advancement to the semifinals.
Ziyech was instrumental in his country's elimination of strong teams such as Belgium, Spain, and Portugal from the competition.
Hakim Ziyech’s Charitable Activities
According to the Daily Star, Hakim regularly gives to team members and others in need.
The fact that he hasn't accepted any money from playing for the Moroccan national team since 2015 adds to his charitable efforts.
Instead, he donates the entire sum to the team's employees and poor families in Morocco.
Has Ziyech Donated World Cup Bonuses to Poor People?
According to social media users, Hakim Ziyech gave all of his World Cup bonuses—roughly $325,000—to poor people in Morocco during the current World Cup.
Misbar searched thoroughly for the circulating news and found no reliable media outlets to prove its validity.
In addition, Misbar did not find any credible sources to support claims that Moroccan players received bonuses from their national team after the 2022 World Cup.
Atlas Lions Won a $25 Million Prize
Morocco, France, Argentina, and Croatia have all advanced to the quarterfinals.
Morocco is the only Arab and African country competing at this international sporting event at such a high level.
Morocco's Atlas Lions won the $25 million prize money allotted to semi-finalists, according to FIFA data.
Fourth-place finishers will receive USD 25million, third-place USD 27 million, runners-up USD 30million, and champions USD 42 million.
Hakim Ziyech’s Retirement and Rejoining Morocco
Hakim Ziyech, who announced his retirement from international football earlier this year and vowed never to return, is now leading Morocco at the Qatar World Cup.
Ziyech announced his retirement from international football in February of this year after Vahid Halilhodzic left him off the roster for the Africa Cup of Nations.
When asked why Ziyech was not chosen for the AFCON, the coach was critical of the player's demeanor and stated flatly, "I don't select a player who can unbalance the group."
"Even though his name is Lionel Messi. Ziyech's behavior does not match the criteria,"The coach continued.
However, Halilhodzic was fired, and the new head coach, Walid Regragui, has moved quickly to repair the damage with Ziyech.
It's not surprising that Morocco invited Ziyech back to the Atlas Lions, and the player "immediately accepted" the invitation.
2018 World Cup's Winner Defeated Morocco
The Atlas Lions advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Spain in a thrilling penalty shootout on December 6.
Morocco made history by becoming the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals after a shocking 1-0 victory over European Portugal.
The Atlas Lions, the first African team to reach the semifinals, were defeated 0-2 by France, the reigning 2018 champions, on December 14th.
Morocco will play Croatia in their final World Cup match on December 17 for third and fourth place.
Argentina will play France for the World Cup title on December 18, the final match of the 2022 World Cup.
Misbar’s Sources
