Morocco’s Romain Saïss Defends Surprise Move to Qatar’s Al-Sadd Club

"It’s a well-thought-out choice," he says in a lengthy interview with Foot Mercato. "I weighed the pros and cons. Today, I wanted to give a new direction to my career by deciding with my family. It’s the best possible solution. I already know what people are going to say, that I’m coming here for pre-retirement. That’s not at all the case. I still have the goal of playing in the African Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup. I’ll be 36 years old. I’ve always made choices in relation to my national team selection. I’m the most capped player on the team, I’m the captain."

Romain Saiss says he knows what he has to do and that he doesn’t wait for someone to tell him what he has to do to stay competitive. "Let’s not lie, Qatar is not the Premier League," he admits. "But I’m 33 years old, I know myself well enough and I know what I have to do for my own good and that of the national team. That’s my priority." He says he had discussions with (European) clubs. "There were exchanges, proposals. Afterwards, the idea was to make the best decision for me and my family. There were so many parameters [...] If I’m well in my head, and in a good environment, I can thrive in the club and the national team," says the former Wolverhampton player.

Will this choice to move to Qatar have repercussions on his future with the national team? The captain of the Atlas Lions says he has discussed it with the coach, Walid Regragui. "We had a discussion. He knows me and knows how I am. As we said, there will be no special treatment. If one day I’m not at the level, and we have to put me aside, we’ll do it," he says. His most ardent wish, he says, is to bring back an African Cup of Nations, a trophy that all Moroccans dream of.