Moroccan Star Ziyech Sparks Speculation by Deleting National Team Photos

Towards a break between Ziyech and the Moroccan team? Absent from the October gathering due to injury, he has deleted all photos related to the Atlas Lions from his Instagram account. An act that raises many questions about his future with the Atlas Lions. Some wonder if it has to do with the controversy sparked by his support for the Palestinian cause and the inclusion of Morocco in his publications. In a post on his Instagram account, Hakim Ziyech had expressed his dismay after watching a video posted on social media showing Israeli soldiers shooting a young Palestinian and then throwing his body off the roof of the building.

"Let’s make one thing clear... !! To hell with Israel and all the countries that support this kind of behavior. Freedom for Palestine," the Moroccan midfielder of Galatasaray had claimed, before openly criticizing the Moroccan government for its silence on the "genocide" underway in the Gaza Strip. "My message is also for the Government of our own country that supports the genocide. Shame on you, enough is enough," he had added, before deleting this part of his post.

According to a source within the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), linking the presence or absence of players to what they do on their social networks has no logical basis, as Ziyech has been in the habit of deleting his photos on Instagram since his time at Ajax, reports the Kooora website. "Erasing his photos with the Atlas Lions jersey on Instagram" is a personal act, and none of the current players know whether he will be present or absent during the next gathering, added the same source, noting that this question depends on the convictions of the coach and the state of preparation of each player. In addition to Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui and Brahim Diaz missed the October gathering for the two matches against the Central African Republic due to injury.

For now, many Moroccan supporters would like to know if Ziyech will be on the list of players who will be called up for the matches against Gabon and Lesotho, counting for the fifth and sixth rounds of the qualifications for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.