Nouhaila Benzina Becomes First Player To Play With Hijab In FIFA World Cup

Morocco National Team player, Nouhaila Benzina is the first footballer to compete in a senior women’s international championship and FIFA World Cup while wearing a hijab.

The 25-year-old Nouhaila Benzina set the record when she made her debut at the 2023 Women’s World Cup against South Korea on Sunday, July 30 donning the Islamic hijab.

Naija News recalls that the world football governing body, FIFA, approved the use of head coverings for religious purposes in 2014. But since then, no footballer has deemed it necessary until Benzina decided to take advantage of the permission earlier today.

Benzina’s team, Morocco, are one of the eight countries competing in their first Women’s World Cup this year.

She did not take part in her nation’s 6-0 defeat to Germany in their first match at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

However, Nouhaila Benzina became the good luck charm for the 72nd-ranked Moroccan side as her unique appearance did not stop her country from landing their first victory in the Women’s World Cup.

Ibtissam Jraidi’s header in the sixth minute earned Morocco their first World Cup goal, shocking their 17th-ranked opponents, South Korea.

Only one effort on goal was recorded in the first half, and Jraidi’s diving header from a cross from Hanane Ait Elhaj gave Morocco their first-ever three points in the competition.

After the 1-0 victory, Morocco coach Reynald Pedros said: “There’s a sense of pride for us to pull this first World Cup win out of the bag.

“We didn’t change our philosophy. The Korean team is not like the German team and we got off to a blinding start.

“We were efficient in the box, that was missing against Germany.”

The 1-0 victory has left Morocco in the third spot in Group H with 3 points in two games, a point away from first-placed Germany and second-placed Colombia.