Morocco’s U20 World Cup Squad Faces Player Exodus and Club Conflicts

"We started with a large group of about 55 players, and the situation was complex, not only for Morocco, but also for many teams. We prepared a preliminary list, sent it to the clubs and waited for their responses," said Mohamed Ouahbi during a press conference on Friday. According to his explanations, some clubs have refused to release their players, while others are undecided. According to the coach of the Moroccan national under-20 team, some players have themselves chosen to stay with their club: "No, coach, even if the club agrees, I will stay with my team and focus on my place. I prefer to prove myself here."

Unveiling the 21 Atlas Lions who will represent Morocco at the U20 World Cup, organized in Chile from September 27 to October 19, 2025, Ouahbi said that the final selection of the team involved difficult decisions. "Some players from the previous edition were not very good, but we gave them a second chance and they joined other camps. In the end, we selected the most motivated players. We had difficulties with clubs refusing to release their players, and also with those refusing to join us," he confided.

The coach also praised the clubs that supported the national team. "We must thank the clubs that allowed their players to participate in the World Cup. I have noticed that when a player really wants to represent Morocco in U20, he can influence the decision of his club." He particularly thanked two players who had to make a lot of effort to obtain the authorization of their foreign clubs: "We have concrete cases; two players were refused by foreign clubs. The technical director said no, the coach said no, and the president too. The request was refused three or four times. But in the end, they will join the national team because they insisted and made this decision despite the risks."

Ranked in Group C, Morocco will face Spain on Sunday, September 28, Brazil on Thursday, October 2, before crossing swords with Mexico on Saturday, October 4 in the group stages of the U20 World Cup Chile.

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