Morocco Coach Regragui Weighs Player Selection for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

Walid Regragui is hesitant to call up certain players like Noussair Mazraoui, who are not active in their clubs, to take part in these two decisive matches. Meanwhile, others are eagerly awaiting a call-up from the Moroccan coach. This is the case of Mourad Batna (Al-Fateh Sports club), or Mohamed Fouzair (Al-Raed), who expressed his disappointment at not being called up to the national team, denouncing an injustice.

Similarly, Ismail Kandouss, a defender for Gent in Belgium, says he does not understand why he is constantly excluded from Regragui’s list, despite his good performances with his club. The Moroccan coach has also not called up the Al Wehda midfielder, Fayçal Fajr, nor Ryan Mmaee, the Stoke City striker, despite his promising debut with the Atlas Lions under the former coach, Vahid Halilhodžić. The latter, after injury, will be unavailable until the end of the season.

Morocco will face Zambia on June 7 at home, before crossing swords with Congo in Brazzaville on the 11th of the same month, as part of the qualifications for the 2026 World Cup. The Moroccan team is also preparing for the next Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for 2025 in Morocco.