Morocco’s Nouhaila Benzina made history on Sunday by becoming the first player to wear a hijab at a World Cup during her team’s 1-0 victory against South Korea.
The 25-year-old defender was an unused substitute for Morocco’s opening 6-0 defeat against Germany last week but was selected in the starting lineup by Reynald Pedros, the manager, for the crucial match in Adelaide. The wearing of head coverings for religious reasons was authorised by Fifa in 2014 and Benzina wore a white Islamic headscarf as she played the entire match in a vital victory that kept alive Morocco’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages on their World Cup debut.
