EA Sports release update to add hijab to history-making Moroccan star in FIFA 23
Moroccan star Nouhaila Benzina wrote her name in football's history books during this summer's Women's World Cup, and the defender will now be immortalised for it within football's biggest gaming franchise.
The 25-year-old became the first footballer in history to don a hijab at a senior-level major tournament when she started Morocco's second group stage match against Korea Republic.
Benzina helped her side to a 1-0 victory that eventually landed Morocco an historic spot in the tournament's knockout stages at the expense of two-time world champions Germany.
Morocco's first-ever World Cup victory coincided with the sight of Benzina wearing her hijab in what represented watershed territory for athletes of Muslim faith, who have historically struggled to freely express their faith in competitive sports.
Indeed, less than three weeks before the start of the summer's showpiece event, France’s top administrative court upheld the French football federation's (FFF) ban on players wearing hijabs during football matches, deeming the regulation “suitable and appropriate.”
Jake Paul calls on John Fury to make retirement bet for fight with son Tommy
In 2007, FIFA issued a ban on all hijabs, with the belief that the garment was a “safety risk” to players. Seven years later, the governing body lifted the ban, though numerous countries and federations, most notably the FFF, still exclude hijabi-wearing players from participating in the sport.
Benzina's visibility on the world stage, however, has paved the way for major societal shifts through the women's game.
And video game behemoth EA Sports has taken up the call and announced a patch update to FIFA 23 that will see Benzina's in-game avatar include her hijab.
Previously, Benzina's hijab was not available in the game's World Cup mode, but EA Sports applied an update hours before Morocco's last-16 clash with France.
Nouhaila Benzina and Sofia Bouftini of Morocco celebrate advancing to the knock out stage (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)While the in-game addition is a minor technical alteration, the wider impact is inarguably immense, with an entire demographic of fans and players previously disregarded able to feel represented.
It is not the first bout of history making for Benzina, who touts an impressive CV of historic landmarks. The defender helped the Atlas Lions to become the first North African and Arab country to participate in the final of a continental tournament, WAFCON, after defeating African powerhouse and 11-time defending champions Nigeria in the semi-final.
The victory secured Morocco the title of the first Middle Eastern and North African region to qualify for the Women’s World Cup.
After being drawn into a daunting group with favourites Germany, Columbia and Korea Republic, Benzina and co. shocked the world as they emerged into the knockout stages in lieu of the Euro2022 finalists.
And while Morocco were unable to advance through the knockout stages following a 4-0 defeat to France, the legacy left behind by the women's national team and Benzina is nothing short of prodigious.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
