Former Morocco Team Doctor Accuses Coach of Ignoring Medical Advice in World Cup Loss

The elimination of Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup against France is the fault of Walid Regragui, said the former doctor of the Moroccan team.

According to Hifti, Regragui would have made the decision, against medical advice, to start the captain Romain Saïss, who was nevertheless injured. A medical report, handed over to the coach the day before the match, would have clearly established Saïss’ unfitness to play. Despite this, Regragui would have chosen to line him up in central defense alongside Nayef Aguerd, Jawad El Yamiq and Achraf Dari. This controversial tactical choice resulted in Saïss’ premature exit, visibly diminished, shortly after the first French goal.

Hifti, clearly bitter, blamed the coach for Morocco’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, insisting on the optimal conditions the coach had benefited from to achieve this objective.

It is the Frenchman Christophe Baudot who replaced Abderrazak Hifti as head of the medical team of the Moroccan national teams.