Morocco Coach Regragui Faces Backlash Over National Team Selections for AFCON Qualifiers

Some players, sports observers and supporters are dissatisfied with Walid Regragui. At the origin of this discontent, the non-convocation of certain players such as Amine Harit of OM, Samy Mmaee and Boukamir for the national team training camp that began yesterday, in preparation for the first official match that will oppose the Atlas Lions to the Gabon team on September 6, and to the Lesotho team three days later at the Adrar Complex in the city of Agadir, as part of the first and second rounds of qualifications for the next Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025). Still excluded, Samy Mmaee, who is at the peak of his form and is performing well, reacted to the list. "In the end, it seems to be personal," comments the Belgian-Moroccan player in a post on his Instagram account. His remarks were supported by sports observers. "The fact that Samy Mmaee led Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League did not allow him to be on the list" while Walid Regragui "has called up Achraf Dari, who is far from the competition," criticizes a sports analyst. According to him, there is "no logic" on the part of the coach of the Moroccan national team Regragui.

According to consistent sources, Regragui decided not to call up certain players to preserve the cohesion of the group. The exclusion of these names was dictated by several factors, both technical and related to their behavior within the team, add the same sources. Justifying the call-up of players who are not starters in their clubs, he explained that he assumes responsibility for his decisions and choices and that he has always worked to invite players who have not participated with their clubs but have delivered good performances.