Morocco’s Hakimi among 9 picked for World Cup returning from historic 2022 squad

RABAT: Paris Saint-Germain standout Achraf Hakimi was among nine players from Morocco’s history-making 2022 World Cup squad picked Tuesday for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who was hired only in March, drew heavily on the country’s diaspora in Europe where the majority of the 26 players he selected were born.
Ouahbi was himself born in Belgium while Hakimi and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz are among five players in the squad born in Spain and whose family ties make them eligible for Morocco.
Three of Morocco’s squad — Fulham defender Issa Diop, PSV Eindhoven defender Anass Salah-Eddine and 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi — had their change of national eligibility approved by FIFA in the past nine months.
Diaz has played for Morocco since 2024 after previously representing Spain.
Morocco will be based in New Jersey where they open against Brazil on June 13 in East Rutherford. Morocco then play Scotland in Massachusetts and finish Group C against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta. The top two in the standings go direct to the round of 16 and the third-place team also could advance.
At the 2022 World Cup, Morocco were a surprise as the first-ever semifinalist from Africa, when they were coached by Walid Regragui.
Morocco topped their group ahead of Croatia and Belgium then shockingly eliminated Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds before an injury-hit team lost to France.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who impressed in Qatar, returns for his third World Cup at age 35.
Morocco will go to the United States as the African champion — for now. That title awarded in a legal case could be lost within months at the Court of Arbitration for Sport where Senegal have appealed to regain their victory won on the field in January in Morocco.
After losing the final to Senegal four months ago, Regragui stepped down and was replaced by Ouahbi who guided Morocco to the Under-20 World Cup title last year. That team which beat Argentina in the final included Strasbourg forward Gessime Yassine, who Ouhabi picked again Tuesday.
Morocco will play at the 2030 World Cup as a co-host with Spain and Portugal, plus South American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay — the original tournament host in 1930 — which get one game each.
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Morocco
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (AS FAR)
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Redouane Halhal (Mechelen), Issa Diop (Fulham)
Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Gessime Yassine (Strasbourg), Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyabe (Eintracht Frankfurt)