[Mondial-2022] Samir Hadji: “I dreamed about it and it happened”

Dudelangeois striker Samir Hadji, Franco-Moroccan, is overjoyed today, before the second semi-final.

The son of the African Ballon d’Or and former Moroccan international Mustapha Hadji, ultra-prolific with the F91 since the start of the season, will watch the semi-final alone and energized, shared like all dual nationals but with the feeling that the time of Africa may have come.

What is your feeling, just before this historic France – Morocco in the semi-finals of the World Cup?

Samir Hadji: It’s an unreal thing. This match, I dreamed of it but without ever thinking about it out loud. This match, I dreamed it and now the day has arrived. It already seemed unexpected for Morocco to imagine qualifying in this group with Croatia and Belgium. It was when I saw that it was strong, that there was a state of mind, that it played with the heart… This team gave us all incredible emotions. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to see a single match with the family. No time. I have the job, the training… I’m watching it all by myself.

But when you enter a World Cup, do you look at France and Morocco in the same way?

The truth is that I am a real Franco-Moroccan. My mother is French, my father Moroccan. France – Morocco, it’s a bit like choosing between your father and your mother, it’s not possible. But me, I have already seen France win the World Cup twice so there, I would like to see Morocco pass. Even if he has already written history, I no longer want to support him in this match.

How is the atmosphere at home?

My children are young, they don’t understand. Fortunately, they are not yet at the age where we can say ” but I like both teams the same so I don’t want one to lose” . I really regret not being able to afford to make the round trip to Creutzwald, where I am from. But hey, I will see this match with my wife, who is Franco-Vietnamese. So she will follow me…

Your father must also be in heaven, even if he would surely prefer to be in Qatar, in the staff, living this moment from the inside…

He doesn’t see it selfishly but me, in his place… I would be partly happy but partly a little disgusted because he, within three months (Editor’s note: he left at the same time as the former staff) , he was there, in this adventure. Good after, World Cups, he did two as a player and one in the staff, there you go, he had his day. He was in Qatar at the start of the competition. He recently returned to Marrakech, but I don’t know if he’s going to leave for the final… Or the match for third place. It’s good too.

In Creutzwald, it’s total euphoria…

What does this match say for you?

It’s still a football game. But there will be more emotions because of the number of Moroccans present in France. When you have a France – Morocco at the Stade de France, there are always more Moroccans than French. I meet compatriots in Audun in front of my daughter’s school and we discuss football. But when France wins, we still hear more horns than when it’s Morocco (he’s laughing). In Creutzwald on the other hand, it’s total euphoria…

Can you prevent yourself from going there in the event of a final?

Ah, but I won’t be here anymore. I booked my vacation more than six months ago and if I want to see the final, it will be from a bar, at the edge of a swimming pool in Punta Cana (Editor’s note: Dominican Republic), with a cocktail in hand.

Have you seen a lot of people cry in recent weeks, thanks to this team from Morocco?

Ah, I’ve had people on the phone who were very moved, but who haven’t cried yet. People are happy with what is happening. In fact, this story affects the whole world. In any case, all of Africa. People find this Tom Thumb touching. There she is, the beauty of football!