Footballer, 20, dies in determined try to succeed in Ceuta ‘in search of higher life’
A promising footballer has tragically died after reportedly drowning during a desperate bid to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco as the Moroccan Union of Professional Footballers paid tribute
Faten Ben Amar El Azizi died trying to swim to Ceuta(Image: Jam Press)
A promising footballer has died during a desperate bid to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
Tens of thousands of Moroccans, estimated at between 40,000 and over 60,000, crossed into Ceuta in a mass surge last Thursday, with many swimming around border barriers. And female player Faten Ben Amar El Azizi reportedly drowned during the crossing attempt.
The 20-year-old footballer competed in the regional championship for Maghreb Atlético Tetuán. She came from a family connected to local football, including a cousin who played professionally.
Faten was among the tens of thousands of Moroccans who tried to enter Spain(Image: Jam Press)
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Her club confirmed the tragedy in a heartfelt statement, declaring that her dream “ended before it even began”.
They said the young athlete “was not seeking fame or adventure, but a better life and a future she believed awaited her on the other side of the border”.
The club added that she had hoped to open “a new door” for her future, yet “the sea was more powerful than her dreams”.
The Moroccan Union of Professional Footballers expressed profound sympathy to her family, teammates and the wider football community.
The Moroccan Union of Professional Footballers paid tribute to Faten (Image: Jam Press)
President Mustapha El Hadaoui and members of the organisation offered their condolences, remembering Faten’s dedication and sporting spirit.
The death forms part of a wider crisis in which tens of thousands of people attempted to cross the frontier in a sudden surge, with a number of lives lost as a result. The Spanish authorities reported 72 fatalities, while Moroccan officials later confirmed 11 deaths on their side, mostly from drowning.
Faten’s family has stated that her Schengen visa was approved by the Spanish consulate in Tangier on the same day she died.
Her mother said shortly before the funeral in Tetouan: “The youth are lost, they are all going to kill themselves. Why? Who opened the door the first time? Why did they open it so that our children would be killed?”
She also criticised local economic conditions and restrictions, saying the family situation was difficult and that Faten had worked in a cemetery from a young age.
Strong currents hampered the crossing between Fnideq and the Spanish enclave, leaving some unable to reach the shore or be rescued, as reported by NeedToKnow.
Faten’s story resonated deeply within Moroccan women’s football where she was regarded as a promising talent with a bright future.
