Spain in mourning after World Cup disaster

TIL Desk Sports/ Spain fans were left in tears on Tuesday after the team crashed out of the World Cup on penalties to Morocco, whose fans filled the streets with cheers, flares and flags from Barcelona to Madrid and the enclave of Melilla.

People had packed into bars decked out in the red and yellow Spanish flag to watch the team, but it was Morocco supporters who owned the night as their side beat Spain 3-0 on penalties and booked their ticket to the quarter-finals.

Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, who was born in Madrid, netted the decisive spot kick in the shootout. Spain and Morocco have a long history of rivalry and mutual cultural influences dating back to the Muslim conquest of Iberia in the eighth century and the Spanish Reconquista that followed, with rocky diplomatic relations in the past decades, often upset by migration issues.

Spain fans were dejected to see their team crash out of the tournament. “We go back to Spain crying and we will have to reflect,” said Julia Calvet, 21, in a Barcelona bar. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was quick with a consolation message, tweeting: “You have thrilled us and made us proud.”