RABAT: Morocco’s national team would still welcome Chelsea attacker Hakim Ziyech, the head of its football federation said Wednesday, despite a dispute with the national coach before the kingdom qualified for the 2022 World Cup.
“The doors of the national team are open to all Moroccan players, regardless of their differences,” Fouzi Lekjaa said during a federation board meeting.
Ziyech had in February ruled himself out of playing for his country again after coach Vahid Halilhodzic omitted the 28-year-old for an Africa Cup of Nations game, reproaching him for indiscipline.
But Lekjaa said Wednesday that “nobody can stop a Moroccan player playing for the national team, whether it’s Ziyech, (right back Noussair) Mazraoui or anyone else.”
He said he would discuss this “personal conviction” with Halilhodzic on the coach’s return from holidays later this month.
Halilhodzic, a former Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain player, had said that Ziyech “lacks respect” and could “blow up the team.”
Despite leading the team to qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Qatar, Halilhodzic has been criticized in Morocco for his strategic choices and rumors have circulated of his possible departure.
Lekjaa said Wednesday that the Bosnian-French 69-year-old “is currently the trainer of the national team... but only God knows what the future holds.”
Morocco qualified for the World Cup last month after strolling through a play-off against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In Qatar it will face Croatia, Belgium and Canada in Group F.
Qatar 2022 ‘door open’ to Chelsea’s Ziyech: Morocco federation chief
https://arab.news/c68ms
Qatar 2022 ‘door open’ to Chelsea’s Ziyech: Morocco federation chief
- "The doors of the national team are open to all Moroccan players, regardless of their differences," Fouzi Lekjaa said
- Ziyech had in February ruled himself out of playing for his country again after coach Vahid Halilhodzic omitted the 28-year-old for an Africa Cup of Nations game
Morocco part company with coach Regragui as World Cup looms
RABAT: Morocco parted company with coach Walid Regragui on Thursday, three months before the World Cup, with the country’s football federation naming Mohamed Ouahbi as his replacement.
Regragui leaves despite having led the Atlas Lions to the World Cup semifinals in 2022 and to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations at the beginning of this year.
“I leave my post with loyalty, gratitude, and the certainty that I have served my country,” he declared during a ceremony broadcast live on television, confirming weeks of persistent rumors that he was on his way out.
Ouahbi, 49, is promoted to the role having overseen Morocco’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup in October, with the federation describing the move as “a strategic transition” in the run-up to the World Cup in North America in June and July.
“It’s a desire not to waste time and to take a different direction,” a source close to the Moroccan Federation told AFP.
“By appointing Mohamed Ouahbi and welcoming top-tier reinforcements, we are raising our standards and our demands,” the source said.
Morocco will be in Group C at the World Cup along with five-time winners Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
They begin their campaign against Brazil at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on June 13 and will be hoping to make a big impression at the tournament before co-hosting the 2030 edition with Spain and Portugal.
“Our ambition is to consolidate our place among the best nations in a sustainable way and to perform well from this summer, as well as in 2030,” the leader of the Moroccan federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, said recently.
Regragui was hailed in 2022 after Morocco became the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the semifinals, beating Spain and Portugal along the way.
However, Regragui likely paid the ultimate price for the manner in which Morocco lost the recent AFCON final to Senegal.
His team were beaten 1-0 after extra-time at the end of a match marred by the Senegal team’s decision to walk off the pitch in protest at the award of a controversial late penalty to the hosts.
The penalty award with the game goalless sparked trouble in the crowd involving Senegal fans, 18 of whom were jailed following the disruption.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz eventually took the penalty after a long delay but his kick was saved and Senegal went on to win the game.
