Born in Australia to a Moroccan father and a Chilean mother, Karisma felt a double joy watching Morocco win the U-20 World Cup in Chile, a victory that united both sides of her heritage. Between four cultures and four languages, she celebrates her identity online, sharing her love for Morocco, Chile, France, and Australia. Last week in Santiago, Chile, Morocco's national team made history by winning the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, the country's first-ever world title. The victory sparked an explosion of joy across Morocco, where streets overflowed with fans celebrating the Atlas Cubs' triumph. Thousands of kilometers away, in Melbourne, Australia, Karisma Rashard was celebrating too, twice as much. Born in Australia to a Moroccan father and a Chilean mother, she couldn't believe that football had become the bridge uniting both sides of her heritage. «When I learned the U-20 World Cup was being held in Chile, I was so happy! I didn't even know at first, I found out right before the France match», she told Yabiladi, her excitement still audible days after Morocco's victory. Watching Morocco's strong semifinal performance brought back memories of the 2022 World Cup, when the senior team fell just short of the final. «Watching Morocco beat France was incredible; it felt like revenge after 2022», she said with a laugh. But for her, the real emotional moment came later. «Beating Argentina, in Chile of all places, made it even more special for me as someone who's both Moroccan and Chilean». Growing up between four worlds For Karisma, this U-20 World Cup was more than a football win, it was a moment of unity, one that allowed her to feel connected to both sides of her identity at once. Born in Australia, she never really had the chance to discover her Chilean roots. Her parents met there when her father came to study. «He was probably one of the only Moroccans in Australia back then», she joked. Her mother, meanwhile, had lived in the country since she was five, after her family migrated from Chile in the 1970s. When her parents separated, Karisma moved to France with her father, where she grew up surrounded entirely by Moroccan culture. «My dad later married another Moroccan woman, so I was raised in a very Moroccan environment. I even lived two years of my childhood in Morocco», she recalled. Those years explain her fluency in Darija and her deep connection to Morocco. After completing her studies in tourism in France, the 34-year-old moved back to Australia in 2012 to live with her mother and pursue a bachelor's degree in Business, majoring in International Tourism Management. The return, however, was not without challenges. «English wasn't my first language, so it was a bit of a struggle», she admitted. «It's funny because I was born here and I'm Australian, but I still went through the same experience as someone moving to a completely new country». After graduating, she worked in the airline industry for a while before joining Melbourne's tram network. Today, she likes to describe herself as a «Moroccan-Australian, Chilean to be». Football as a bridge Reconnecting with her roots inspired her to take her story online. In June 2025, she created an Instagram account, Just Zmagryia, where she began sharing her Moroccan side. «I made three raw, unedited videos in my pyjamas, and one of them went viral overnight! When I woke up, my phone was full of notifications. I had no idea what was happening», she said, still amused by the memory. That sudden virality encouraged her to keep going, and five months later, her audience spans Moroccans at home, Moroccans abroad, and even Chileans curious about her story. «I don't know many Moroccan Chileans, so I thought it would be nice to share a bit of diversity and positivity», she explained. «I created my page out of love for Morocco. I wanted to connect with other Moroccans and feel that sense of community. When I open my socials, it feels like I have Morocco in my pocket, even though I'm thousands of kilometers away». That sense of belonging, she believes, has only grown stronger through football. «In one of my videos, I asked my Australian colleagues what they know about Morocco, most of them said, 'Your soccer team!'» she laughed. Thanks to the Atlas Cubs' triumph, Karisma now plans to travel to Chile soon, a long-awaited opportunity to reconnect with her mother's homeland. Between four cultures and four languages, she says each one holds a special place in her heart. «In Morocco, I love our nachat, our joyful, spontaneous spirit. We're always ready to celebrate», she smiled. «In Chile, it would be the empanadas! I love, love, love them, those pastries filled with meat or cheese are delicious. And I love cumbia, the Chilean dance». In France, she misses the food, «the cheese, the pastries, the bread. And in Australia, I love how open-minded people are. They accept you for who you are and whatever you believe in». To her, Morocco and Chile are not as far apart as they seem. «There are actually many similarities between the two cultures», she reflected. «Both are very family-oriented. Family is sacred», she reflected.
