Just a few days ago, Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, a young Moroccan woman footballer, was chasing her dream on the pitch. She believed her best years were still ahead of her and that football might lead her to a brighter future.

Sadly, her final journey did not end on a football pitch, but rather in the waves of the sea separating Fnideq, in northern Morocco on the Mediterranean coast, and the Spanish city of Ceuta.

Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, who played for both Moghreb Atlético Tetuán and Morocco Athlétic Tangier, died while attempting to swim to Spanish enclave Ceuta.

Ceuta crossing death toll at 72, media reports

Tributes have flooded in for the sportswoman who was making her mark in Moroccan women’s football.

Faten’s death comes at a time when the northern coast of Morocco is witnessing a rise in attempts at irregular migration towards the city of Ceuta, on the North African coast.

These perilous journeys often result in death due to strong sea currents and the difficult conditions surrounding them.

Meanwhile, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is taking place in Morocco for the third consecutive year.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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