São Paulo – Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi announced on Tuesday (26) the 26 players who will represent the country at the FIFA World Cup. Morocco is in Group C and will make its tournament debut against Brazil on June 13 at 7 p.m. at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. This will be the largest edition of the World Cup so far, featuring 48 national teams and hosted across three countries. Matches will also be played in Canada and Mexico.
Ouahbi called up the team’s two standout players: right back Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz. Also selected were goalkeepers Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (AS FAR); and defenders Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly SC), Nayef Aguerd (Olympique de Marseille), Issa Diop (Fulham), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Redouane Halhal (K.V. Mechelen), and Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk).
For the midfield, the coach selected Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Betis), Ayoub Bouaddi (Lille), Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), and Ismaël Saibari (PSV). Completing the squad are forwards Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Betis), Yassine Bessime (Strasbourg), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al-Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), and Ayoub Amahount (Frankfurt).
Morocco and Brazil’s group also includes Haiti and Scotland. The Moroccan national team is appearing in its seventh World Cup, and its third consecutive one, having achieved its best-ever result at the tournament in the last edition, held in Qatar in 2022. The team finished first in its group and eliminated Spain and Portugal in the knockout stage. Morocco’s run ended in the semifinals against runner-up France, and the team finished the competition in fourth place overall.
Read more:
Arab highlights at the World Cup
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
