In a press conference on Thursday held at the Mohammed VI Complex in Salé, Walid Regragui, coach of the Men’s Moroccan National Team, revealed the squad list of the 28 players called to play the upcoming two matches.
The first match will be played on September 9, 2023, against Liberia as part of the 2023 AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) qualifiers, at Adrar Stadium in Agadir. The second match is a friendly against Burkina Faso, and will be played on September 12, 2023, at the Polar Dulles Stadium in Lens, France.
The squad list is as follows:
Goalkeepers:
- Yassine Bounou
- Munir Mohamedi El Kajoui
- Youssef El Motie
- El Mehdi Benabid
Defenders:
- Noussair Mazraoui
- Achraf Hakimi
- Nayed Aguerd
- Ghanem Romain Saiss
- Jawad El Yamiq
- Yunis Abdelhamid
- Yahya Attiat Allah
- Abdelkabir Abqar
Midfielders:
- Amir Richardson
- Azzedine Ounahi
- Sofyan Amrabat
- Bilal El Khanouss
- Benjamin Bouchouari
- Selim Amallah
Forwards:
- Amine Harit
- Ismael Saibari
- Zakaria Aboukhlal
- Abdessamad Ezzalzouli
- Amine Adli
- Walid Cheddira
- Youssef En-Nesyri
- Ayoub El Kaabi
- Aberrazak Hamedallah
- Ibrahim Salah
Hakim Ziyech was a notable omission from the list of called-up players. When asked about specific missing players, Regragui explained that for all players, famous or not, the choice was based on “timing.”
He added “Hakim has just signed for [Turkish team] Galatasaray and he has not participated in pre-season camps or any friendly matches… he should prepare with his team so he can get back to a level [of play] where he should be. If all goes as planned… he will back with us in October [for AFCON]. And this is also an opportunity, in my opinion, to see other players.”
In response to the questions from reporters about Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old Barcelona player who has yet to choose between Spain and Morocco, Regragui stated that he and the Federation have entered in talks with the young player, and that he has sat with Yamal personally and explained “our project,” but Yamal has yet to give his final decision. Regragui added that it is a personal choice, and a difficult one for someone so young, especially considering how much external pressure he is facing.