Morocco is currently ranked 22nd in the world, the second-highest of any African team.
Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui, has announced the 26-man squad that will compete in the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup, just ten days before the kickoff game.
Regragui announced the list of players expected to play in the team’s upcoming matches in September, but there was a notable absence of Abderrazak Hamdallah, who did not appear on the squad list.
Since then, the newly appointed head coach has faced intense pressure from Moroccan football fans, who insist that the striker be named to the World Cup squad. Hamdallah has not played for Morocco since leaving its training camp in 2019, but will play in the upcoming World Cup.
Months after retiring from the national team due to poor relationship with former manager Vahid Halilhodzic, Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech has also been included in Morocco’s World Cup squad by coach Regragui.
Regragui’s list for Morocco’s upcoming World Cup games also includes goalkeepers Yassine Bounou, Mounir El Kajoui, Munir Mohamedi El Kajoui, and Reda Tagnaouiti.
Regragui announced the news today at a press conference during which he expressed his determination to ensure a great performance from the Atlas Lions at the upcoming global tournament.
The coach also hopes that the Moroccan squad will display a remarkable performance and make Moroccan fans proud.
“We’re fortunate to have an array of talent at our disposal and also players who have matured at great clubs,” Regragui said in a recent interview with FIFA, adding that the squad aspires to do its best in the tournament and “make fans proud.
The Atlas Lions will leave Morocco for Qatar on November 13, he added.
Morocco have arranged a World Cup warm-up international against Georgia next Thursday, six days before their opening game of the tournament in Qatar.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said the match would be hosted in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on November 17, Reuters reported.
Morocco will compete in Group F at the World Cup and play their opening match against Croatia at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on November 23.
Full Morocco squad
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bono( FC Seville), Munir( Al-wehda), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti( Wydad)
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi(PSG), Noussair Mazraoui( Bayern), Romain Saiss( Besiktas), Nayef Aguerd( West Ham), Achraf Dari( Brest), Jawad El-Yamiq(Valladolid), Yahia Attiat-Allal( Wydad), Badr Benoun( Qatar SC)
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Azzedine Ounahi Angers, Abdelhamid Sabiri Sampdoria, Selim Amallah Standard Liege, Yahya Jabrane Wydad AC, Bilal El Khannous Genk.
Forwards: Hakim Ziyech Chelsea, Zakaria Aboukhlal Toulouse, Sofiane Boufal Angers, Youssef En-Nesyri Sevilla, Ez Abde Osasuna, Amine Harit Marseille, Ilias Chair QPR, Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-Ittihad, Walid Cheddira Bari.
