Morocco's National Football Team Donates Blood After Devastating Earthquake Kills Over 2,100

Morocco's national football team on Sunday donated blood in the wake of Friday's devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people in the country.

The team, who were meant to play Liberia in a qualifying match for the African Cup of Nations, announced on Saturday that the game had been postponed with the agreement of the Confederation of African Football, South China Morning Post reported. The Atlas Lions sacrificed additional practice time to give blood to those affected by the earthquake. 

In a video shared on X, the team and staff were spotted heading to the blood donation centers amid loud cheering. Several Moroccan players players including goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and national team coach Walid Regragui were seen smiling and giving thumbs up as they sat in chairs donating blood in their football kit.

''The National Team members are donating blood in solidarity with the earthquake victims,'' a video shared by the Moroccan national team's account, was captioned. 

Watch the video here:

أعضاء المنتخب الوطني يتبرعون بالدم تضامنا مع ضحايا الزلزال

The National Team members are donating blood in solidarity with the earthquake victims#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/0DRstMQK2h

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) September 9, 2023

أسود الأطلس يساهمون في عملية التبرع بالدم 🩸

📷 Our #AtlasLions are participating in the blood donation 🇲🇦#DimaMaghrib pic.twitter.com/CitryHyLiV

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) September 9, 2023

Citizens also rushed to hospitals in Marrakesh and Rabat to donate blood to help the injured. 

Friday's 6.8-magnitude quake struck 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of the tourist hub of Marrakesh, wiping out entire villages in the hills of the Atlas mountains. The quake killed at least 2,012 people and injured 2,059 others, of whom 1,404 are in critical condition, according to the latest figures from Morocco's interior ministry.

The quake was the deadliest in Morocco since a 1960 earthquake destroyed Agadir and killed more than 12,000 people.

Several world leaders expressed grief and promised to provide them with all possible assistance.