Women’s World Cup: Moroccan defender becomes first ever player to wear hijab at world cup

Football lovers on the internet have been blown away by Nouhaila Bezina, a Moroccan defender after she turned up for the ongoing female world cup game wearing a hijab.

The 25-year-old player wore the Muslim headscarf in her first appearance at the world cup, as Morocco defeated South Korea 1-0. Her appearance at the game made history for her as Bezina became the first-ever female football player to wear a hijab in a FIFA World Cup game.

Many internet users have been blown away by Nouhaila’s courage, and have sent encouraging messages to the player on social media. Naomi C, an internet user tweeted “Amazing! This will inspire so many young girls around the world to play football, girls who might otherwise have thought it impossible.”

Olayinka Balogun also wrote on Platform X (formerly Twitter) “There are lots of ladies and girls from conservative religious backgrounds. She’s more like a hero and role model to them. This little step made by her would encourage lots of girls of similar religious beliefs to at least take a bold step out of the shadows and embrace the limelight.”

It is important to note that in 2014, the world governing body FIFA authorized the wearing of headcovers for religious reasons, but it only took until this year for any female player to do so at a world cup game.