{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fradio-ifriqiya-powered-by-afikra.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fyoussef-faraj-gRm8ZpGi","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"AFCON 2025! The View from Brussels | Youssef Faraj ","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/1ce0a58c-3e05-4d4b-a2e7-f3ffb869b215/f7a8575c-a4b9-4373-ae15-07f258953d0b/radio-20ifriqiya-20partnership-20project-20file.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"We explore the recent African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament and its impact on the Moroccan diaspora, particularly in Brussels, which hosts one of Europe's largest Moroccan-origin communities. A youth worker, educator, and football fan, Youssef Faraj joins the discussion to dissect how the tournament was experienced, its effect on community relations, Pan-Africanism, colonial memory, and integration into Belgian society. Faraj highlights the strong feeling of being \"robbed\" among the Moroccan diaspora following the controversial penalty decision on Brahim Díaz, which has since led to a noticeable shift in inter-diaspora relations. We also delve into the complex history and relationship between the Moroccan and Congolese communities in Brussels. The conversation covers the distinct migration streams and urban geography of both groups in the city, touching on issues like ethnic-based districts, economic disparities in shop ownership, and the concept of a pan-African district. A central theme is the contrasting football allegiances: while Moroccans overwhelmingly root for Morocco, the rationale for Congolese supporting the Belgian national team is explored as a nuanced form of \"decoloniality\" and a path to empowerment through sport, given the lack of infrastructure in Congo. This leads to a discussion of why Moroccan players born in Belgium, such as Saibari, Adnan, and Talbi, often choose Morocco over Belgium, which has sparked accusations of being \"traitors to the nation\" in Belgium. The episode closes by examining the identity crisis Morocco faces in Africa, where it is often perceived as not African enough."}