Pitso Mosimane: Foe who felt the love of the Ultras

Each of the six times Pitso Mosimane has guided a team against Wydad Athletic Club in Rabat or Casablanca, Morocco, he was an opposition coach. 

Nonetheless, South Africa’s most successful coach, by a stretch, has never forgotten the love showered on him by the Ultras.

Some of those games stretch as far back as his days at Mamelodi Sundowns, suggesting it’s been an ongoing affection for years.

PITSO MOSIMANE’S GOOSEBUMPS STORY

“I have faced Wydad [Casablanca] in that atmosphere more than six times. I’m happy that you are expressing it. That crowd, when they see me, the whole stadium chants my name. Goosebumps story,” Mosimane tells FARPost.

Unsurprising, though, because the moment anyone in Morocco hears you’re from South Africa, they immediately ask about Pitso Mosimane.

When the Al Ahli Saudi mentor shared his Goosebumps tale, it was a heebie-jeebies story for me too. 

I was inside the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, watching African champions Wydad Casablanca take on Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup. 

Never mind that the 45800-seater is the home of AS FAR Rabat, as the Ultras turned it into their home ground on Saturday, 4 February 2023.

For moments throughout the game, I lost touch with the actual game, marvelling at the Tifo I’d only known from reading.

THE TIFO PHENOMENON

In case you don’t know, the Tifo is the phenomenon whereby the Tifosi of a sports team makes a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium. The sight of the Tifo is immaculate. 

The Ultras just had to steal the show. Thanks to the fireworks displays and the full-throated chants, Prince Moulay, where Banyana Banyana captured history on July 23, 2022, rang to the chants of passionate fans.

The sight of the coloured placards aloft formed a vast, moving mosaic that spelt out messages you couldn’t understand [because of language], yet you just had to stand in awe. 

At that moment, I understood why Wydad’s zealots, affectionately known as ‘Winners’, have a long-earned reputation for flamboyance – singing and setting off smoke bombs splendidly.

Interestingly, the singing never stopped throughout the game. Time and again, they drew more attention than the action on the pitch despite leading Odion Ighalo’s Al Hilal 1-0 for much of the encounter.

A SEA OF RED

Of course, the Saudi Arabia side equalised on the stroke of full-time and went on to beat Wydad 5-3 on penalties. I’ve never cared about Wydad but watching the sea of red and white plunge into sadness on the day, I felt their pain. It was then that I realised the Ultras had stolen my heart.

Not so much the football they displayed, because they were a bit awful for spells of the game. But the chants in their own Arabic and the pyrotechnics had won me over. Understandably so; I’m yet to see such choreography with my own eyes.  

“Wydad is big, and supporting this team is a commitment beyond football,” explained Hamza, a staunch fan in his 30s.

On a previous visit, right in the centre of the old town of Casablanca, which reminds me so much of Johannesburg, tags and murals reflecting football club Wydad AC’s past and present can be found everywhere.

My stadium experience then made it clear that, indeed, Wydad’s hardcore fans rank as some of the most passionate and organised supporters globally.

When you then dig deep into Wydad’s history, you then get an understanding of where such passion stems from.

WYDAD CASABLANCA’S FORMATION

Back in the 1930s, during the French occupation, access to sports facilities in Morocco was limited. It pushed a particular group to form their club in the mid-30s. 

But Wydad Athletic Club all began as a water-polo team, evolving to include a football side that became a symbol of the nationalist movement whenever they played.

“My father taught me that Wydad was a movement. It gave them hope back in the day.

“We draw hope from this beautiful football club because when they play, everything else doesn’t matter,” explained Hamza.

And one thing is clear with Hamza. The love affair with Pitso Mosimane is a real thing.

“Pitso Mosimane is loved here, and I feel that one day he will come and coach this team. He is special to the fans; that’s why we chanted his name each time he came here.”

Who knows? Perhaps one day, Pitso Mosimane will live to reciprocate the love Wydad Casablanca fans have shown him.

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