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Moroccan Footballer Drowns Attempting Ceuta Crossing on Visa Approval Day

Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, a Moroccan regional league footballer, drowned last month while attempting an illegal mass crossing into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. Tragically, her mother was informed on the same day that her daughter's visa to Spain had been granted.

  • Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, 26, played for Maghreb Atlético Tetuán in Morocco's regional league.
  • She drowned on 30 July while attempting to swim from Morocco to Ceuta, a Spanish exclave.
  • On the day of her death, her mother was told that El Azizi had been granted a visa to Spain.

Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, a 26-year-old footballer for Maghreb Atlético Tetuán, tragically drowned on 30 July while attempting to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. In a cruel twist of fate, her mother was informed on the same day that El Azizi's visa to Spain had been approved.

El Azizi, who lived in Tétouan, northern Morocco, with her family, played in a women's football league but found it impossible to make a living. She received approximately £21 when her team won and nothing for a loss, an insufficient amount to support her mother, two siblings, and other relatives.

She was among at least 141 people who died during last month's mass crossing to the Spanish territory, according to migrant rights group Caminando Fronteras. Her mother, Jamilla, stated that Faten had dreamed of reaching Europe through football and is now buried in the cemetery where she once worked.

Why this matters: This incident highlights the desperate measures some young Moroccans are taking to seek opportunities in Europe, despite the country's national ambition to co-host the 2030 World Cup.

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