Image Morocco’s Nouhaila Benzina is the first player to compete in the Women’s World Cup while wearing a hijab.
Credit... James Elsby/Associated PressNouhaila Benzina, a 25-year-old defender for a pioneering Morocco team appearing in its first World Cup, became the first player to wear a hijab in the tournament when she started her team’s 1-0 victory against South Korea on Sunday.
Morocco’s presence at the Women’s World Cup already has yielded a string of notable moments.
And its first victory was a monumental achievement that kept alive its hopes for something even bigger: a place in the knockout stages.
Several players on the Moroccan squad were born or raised in France, but Benzina plays for a club team in Morocco.
Persons:
James Elsby, Nouhaila, Benzina
Organizations:
South, North
Locations:
Morocco, South Korea, Arab