Before the match against France, "Zidou Laqdam" brings back the courage of Moroccan fighters.
In the history of modern Morocco, few short phrases have been as closely associated with collective memory and military heroism as the phrase "Zido Lqaddam" has been with the Moroccan Goums and battalions during World War II. These simple words in Moroccan dialect, meaning "keep moving forward" or "continue ahead," transformed from a mere call on the battlefield into a symbol of courage, resilience, and sacrifice, carrying with it the image of the Moroccan fighter who moved from the Atlas Mountains to the European battlefields, leaving a mark that remains present in historical memory to this day.
The Moroccan Goum units emerged during the early decades of the twentieth century, comprising Moroccan fighters known for their endurance and ability to adapt to the harshest natural conditions. The battalion was a military unit made up of several Goums, and these units formed one of the most prominent components of the African Army that fought alongside the Allies in World War II. As battles intensified in North Africa and Europe, the name of the Moroccan fighter emerged as one of the most competent soldiers in operations requiring rapid movement and combat in mountainous and rugged areas.
During World War II, about eighty-five thousand Moroccans served in the Goums and Moroccan battalions, with thousands falling as casualties and wounded across various fronts. They participated in decisive battles that began in Tunisia, passing through Italy and France, and ended in the heart of Germany. At each of these stages, their name remained associated with courage, discipline, and the ability to carry out the most challenging military tasks.
Their contribution was particularly evident during the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, when the Moroccan battalions managed to penetrate the mountainous heights that had resisted Allied forces for many months. After that, they participated in the liberation of Corsica, the landings in Provence, the liberation of Marseille and Alsace, and then continued their advance towards Germany, until their name became part of the history of Europe's liberation.