BARCELONA/MADRID: Thousands of Spanish fans were left in tears after the team lost on penalties to Morocco on Tuesday, whose fans filled the streets of Barcelona, Madrid and Melilla with cheers, flares and flags.

People had flocked to bars decked out in the red and yellow Spanish flag to cheer on the team, but it was Morocco fans who stole the show as their team defeated Spain 3-0 on penalties and advanced to the quarter-finals.

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, who was born in Madrid, scored the game-winning penalty kick in the shootout.

Spain and Morocco have a long history of rivalry and mutual cultural influences, dating back to the Muslim conquest of Iberia in the eighth century and the subsequent Spanish Reconquista, with rocky diplomatic relations in recent decades, often strained by migration issues.

Spain fans were disappointed to see their team exit the tournament.

"We're going back to Spain crying, and we'll have to think about it," Julia Calvet, 21, said in a Barcelona bar.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responded quickly, tweeting, "You have thrilled us and made us proud."

The Spanish Royal Family took to Twitter "Nothing concludes here... Let us keep moving forward, competing, and fighting."

Some fans were philosophical about the defeat, which came after Spain dominated possession but couldn't break through Morocco's tight defence.

"They have not disappointed me because they have played exceptionally well, but I am disappointed. We could have won against Morocco, a not-so-strong team...they were constantly defending "Rafael Gomez, 27, was watching the game in a bar in Barcelona draped in a Spanish flag.

But it was a different story for Spain's Moroccan population, the country's largest foreign community, accounting for 16% of all foreign residents, according to official figures.

Morocco fans gathered in Barcelona's central Raval neighbourhood to celebrate, lighting flares and singing.

"We needed to win so Moroccans could have confidence in themselves in Spain," Anass, a 22-year-old Moroccan cook in downtown Barcelona, told. "And we're hoping to make it to the final!"

People celebrated by cheering, dancing, and honking their horns in Melilla, Spain's north African enclave bordering Morocco, according to national broadcaster TVE.

The Spanish police had deployed extra officers in case of post-match disturbances, but the majority of the celebrations were peaceful.
After Morocco gained independence in 1956, Spain retained the enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta, which were previously colonial territories.