Morocco's players and their mothers welcomed by King Mohammed VI after historical World Cup

Moroccan King Mohammed VI, middle, pose with the #Morocco national soccer team players and their mothers during a ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, [VOA twitter]

King of Morocco Mohammed VI on Tuesday hosted Morocco national football team together with their mothers during a ceremony at the royal palace in Rabat.

Morocco ended its surprising run at the World Cup with a 2-1 loss to Croatia in last Saturday's third-place playoff philosophically.

The team had already made history, becoming the first Arab and first African team to reach the semifinals in the international soccer tournament.

Tens of thousands of jubilant Moroccans welcomed their national soccer team home Tuesday after the players exceeded the North African nation's wildest expectations and finished fourth at the World Cup in Qatar.

The players of Morocco national soccer team celebrate on a bus and wave during a homecoming parade in central Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. Morocco national team won the fourth place at the last World Cup. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Following their arrival in Rabat, the players and their mothers were honoured by King Mohammed VI for their historic performance in Qatar.

A group photo of the Moroccan national football team with their mothers and the nation's king in the center has since gone viral on social media.

According to reports, the players mothers accompanied them to the palace, in recognition of their efforts to "instill in their children the values of patriotism, sacrifice, and national belonging".

The Mothers also played a prominent role in the team's history-making World Cup performance, acting as cheerleaders for their sons, both on and off the pitch.

Achraf Hakim, a Moroccan player, with his mother.[Twitter]

One Moroccan player, Achiraf Hakim celebrated victory with his mother after Morocco defeated Belgium 2-0 in the Group F match, signaling that it wouldn't be business as usual for the African teams in the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Morocco's midfielder Sofiane Boufal celebrates with his mother after qualifying for the semi-final.

Sofiane Boufal, was also seen dancing with his mother on the pitch, celebrating their country's historic win over Portugal in the knockout state.