Former Moroccan Star Mehdi Carcela Resurfaces for Coaching Training After 3-Year Absence

For three years, Mehdi Carcela has not given any sign of life. The former number 10 of Standard, then aged 32, had disappeared from the radar towards the end of the 2021-2022 season. The Belgian-Moroccan now lives between Belgium and Morocco, more precisely, Casablanca, where his grandmother owns a house. The former player likes to spend good times in the economic capital of the kingdom, in the company of his wife and their four children. Last week, Carcela (22 caps with Morocco) participated in a training for future coaches in Salé. Organized by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), this one-week course, supervised by Fathi Jamal, director of development, and coordinated by the Belgian Chris Van Puyvelde, technical director, brought together 32 former Atlas Lions, including Oussama Aissaidi (ex-Liverpool), Ali Boussaboun (ex-Feyenoord) and Nourdin Boukhari (ex-FC Nantes).

"Mehdi does not see himself at all becoming a coach. But after reflection, he said he would like one day to pass on what he knows about football. Pass it on to young people. So he agreed to take the training," confides a close friend of the former Moroccan international to La Dernière Heure. In reality, football is no longer a priority for the former player. The disaffection for this sport for which he has given his whole life was born in September 2022, when his contract with Standard had expired. The Liège club let Carcela train with SL16 to stay in shape, while waiting to find a new club. The Belgian-Moroccan refuses an offer from a club in Shanghai, showing more interest in clubs in the Middle East (D1 in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, D2 in Saudi Arabia). Meanwhile, Belgian clubs like Westerlo and Seraing were interested in the former player.

In the aftermath, Standard contacts Carcela for a gala match in Ghent on September 21, organized by a betting company, partner of the club, with Ronaldinho as a guest star. Carcela injures his ankle in the first half of the game and is taken off on a stretcher. At the hospital, the doctors tell him that he will not be able to get back on the pitch for four months. A blow for Carcela who sees his future compromised. Ongoing negotiations with Saudi and Qatari clubs fall through. Forced to rest, the Belgian-Moroccan decides to spend a few weeks in Casablanca. Wydad and Raja, the two big clubs in the city, make him an offer to relaunch his career. But the former player was not enthusiastic. "He no longer really liked football," explains a friend.

Today, Carcela is dedicated to his family and Islam, his new passion. The Belgian-Moroccan now wears a thick beard. According to his friends, Islam has changed the former player’s life. "It allowed him to settle down. Before, when he was a player, he led a dissolute life, always at 200 an hour. With Islam, he understood that he could not continue like this," confides a close friend. Carcela occasionally posts Quranic verses on his Instagram story. He recently reactivated his X (ex-Twitter) account to announce his presence in the Standard Hall of Fame organized by the Pro League. Financially, Mehdi Carcela is well off. He manages big contracts (including Anzhi in Russia) and benefits from his real estate investments.