Morocco’s Squad Selection Dilemma Ahead of AFCON 2025 Qualifiers

Hakim Ziyech and his teammates are set for their next matches. They will face Gabon on September 6, before crossing swords with Lesotho on September 9 in the first and second rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025) qualifiers. Walid Regragui, coach of the Moroccan national team, has not yet revealed the list of players who will be called up for these two matches. This will be done on August 28. Radical changes and new call-ups are expected to strengthen the team.

The players of the Moroccan Olympic team who achieved a historic feat at the Paris Olympics by winning the first bronze medal could appear on this list. Among them, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Oussama El Azzouzi, Amine Richardson, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Bilal El Khannous, Oussama Targhalline, and Mehdi Boukamir, who shone during the competition. The coach of the Moroccan national team could include the name of the Montpellier HSC midfielder Khalil Fayad on the list. The Franco-Moroccan has had a good season. Walid Regragui could also bet on the Franco-Senegalese-Moroccan attacking midfielder of OGC Nice, Sofiane Diop.

On the other hand, the Franco-Moroccan technician could exclude players who were once considered essential pillars, such as Romain Saïss, Achraf Dari, and Yahya Attiyat Allah, due to recent declines in performance.