European Clubs Clear Moroccan Players for Paris Olympics, Boosting National Team

Tarik Sektioui can rub his hands. In a statement to the French newspaper L’Équipe, Tiago Scuro, Monaco’s football director, said he would allow Moroccan international Eliesse Ben Seghir to participate in the Olympics to be held from July 26 to August 11 in Paris with the Moroccan Olympic selection. Also, he stressed that the players concerned must go on leave before the start of the Olympic Games. We will not give leave after the end of the Olympic Games, as this competition will end late, he added.

PSG is also willing to release Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi so he can participate in the Olympic Games. The same newspaper confirmed that the French club’s technical staff is open to allowing some players to participate in the Paris Olympics. The Spanish coach of PSG had given his green light in a press conference. "I am not the owner of the players, the players have a contract with the club. It is obvious that having won the Olympics once in my country, in Barcelona (in 1992, editor’s note), it would be strange for me" to prevent a player from participating, he had explained. "What is certain is that each case must be studied individually, it is difficult to chain the Euro (June 14 - July 14) and the Olympic Games," he had added.

Housed in Group B, the Atlas Cubs will face Argentina, Ukraine and Iraq. Morocco qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics thanks to its victory at the 2023 U23 CAN, the first in its history.