Salma Bouguerch, a native of El Jadida, is a shining example of balance between sport excellence and academic achievement. While pursuing her impressive sports career, Salma continued her medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca, obtaining her doctorate in 2024.
Her football journey began with Difaâ Hassani El Jadida, where she contributed to the team's promotion to the first division, before moving on to play with Renaissance Zemamra and Raja Aïn Harrouda. During the 2022 season, she joined Wydad Athletic Club, one of Morocco's most prestigious teams.
With the establishment of the Moroccan national women's futsal team in the 2020-2021 sports season, Salma was among the first generation of players to join this squad, serving as team captain. Her experience in futsal significantly helped develop her football skills.
Salma earned the trust of Spanish coach Jorge Vilda to be part of the Atlas Lionesses, with the goal of winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted in Morocco. She plays as an offensive left-footed midfielder wearing the number 10 jersey.
In this exclusive interview, Salma Bouguerch reveals her remarkable journey and how she managed to balance her passion for football with her medical studies, as well as her future ambitions with the national team and professional football abroad.
Balancing medical studies and football requires significant sacrifices, especially since studying medicine demands tremendous effort. Undoubtedly, on many occasions, you had to give up going out with friends for training or studying. It might seem easy in theory, but it's difficult in practice. What's Salma Bouguerch's secret?
The truth is there's no special secret to balancing studies and football, it's about setting clear goals and being prepared to make necessary sacrifices. This means dedicating less time to social activities with friends to focus on studying and maintaining the required physical fitness.
My goal was always clear: to excel in both my academic and athletic paths. That's why I was fully convinced of the sacrifices I needed to make. It's certainly challenging, but not impossible, and praise be to ALLAH, with His blessing and the support of my parents and family, I've been able to achieve what I aspired to.
Does your academic level help you in football?
I've always believed that football is played with the mind before the feet. The feet are merely tools for playing, while the mind is the primary driver. It's essential to quickly understand and comprehend the tactics set by the coach and apply them on the field, as well as finding quick solutions during matches.
My studies have greatly helped me develop my mental abilities, which has positively reflected on my performance on the field. The ability to analyze quickly and make sound decisions under the pressure of matches are skills I directly benefit from through my academic training.
You were with the national team in the Olympic qualifying rounds, and we were very close to qualifying against Zambia. We missed several opportunities in the return match, and we deserved to qualify. How did you experience this journey? What do you think about the national team's chances in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations?
We were just a few steps away from achieving our dream of qualifying for the Olympics. We worked very hard in training, studied our opponents carefully, and made significant sacrifices, but unfortunately, qualification wasn't meant to be.
Despite the painful defeat against Zambia, I consider this experience a valuable lesson for all of us. We will benefit from these lessons to strengthen our team and correct our mistakes, and we will be ready, Inchallah , for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Our goal is clear: to keep the cup in our country Inchallah. We are working hard to be physically, tactically, and mentally prepared to achieve this goal.
The national league has started to attract the interest of European clubs recently. Do you dream of playing professionally abroad? Which league would you like to play in?
Yes, I have a big ambition to play at the highest level with professional teams. I especially hope to experience playing professionally in the Spanish or English leagues, where the level of competition is high and I can further develop my abilities.
How has your parents' approval helped in your career, and why is it important?
Parental support is indispensable in my journey. My parents have always been my main pillars of support in my football career. When my mother says "Sirrrrr Lahyrdi Elik" before matches, I feel an enormous moral boost that helps me stay calm and face challenges.
Without their support and approval, I wouldn't have achieved anything in my career. I am tremendously grateful to them and love them with all my heart. My parents' blessing gives me the strength and confidence I need to overcome all difficulties.
طه الحداد
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