Morocco’s World Cup Hopes in Jeopardy as Star Players Ziyech and Mazraoui Remain Sidelined

Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui are among the players who have been ousted from the Moroccan national football team by the coach Vahid Halilhodzic. The coach blames them for their lack of involvement and for wanting to put the national team in the background. After a few clashes through the media and interventions by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Vahid Halilhodzic decided to summon the two players who categorically refused, explaining that they are no longer concerned with the Atlas Lions as long as the coach continues to lead the national team.

In an interview with Foot Mercato, Patrice Beaumelle says that "Ziyech and Mazraoui are players with character, but they are not difficult characters. I have never personally seen these two players refuse to train. I only speak when I was there, be careful".

The former coach of the Ivorian national football team stressed that Ziyech and Mazraoui have potential that Morocco needs, especially with its qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. For him, these two players have given so much to Morocco and deserve to experience the World Cup with the Atlas Lions. "I have never had any problem with Ziyech and Mazraoui. But we must be fair. I think this problem is internal. They love their country and I think they suffer from not playing for their country. They have always been present. Morocco needs them and they also need Morocco. They need to experience this kind of emotion in their career. Mazraoui had also missed the last World Cup, he was only a reserve. In addition, Morocco has a good card to play, because it is the best in terms of organization".

Regarding the place taken by Morocco in football on the African level, Patrice Beaumelle believes that Fouzi Lekjaa has been able to instill new dynamism in his country in this field. "We feel that they are very powerful both at CAF and at FIFA. Fouzi Lekjaa has taken an important place. He weighs and this must also be felt on the participations in the World Cup. I’m not saying that qualification is played administratively, but that the structure in place is effective. The infrastructures too. It’s a big entity, a big institution," he said.