At 17, Ouazane Thinks He Has Missed Out on His First Call-Up… Then Finds His Name Among the Forwards

Mohamed Ouahbi’s press conference was scheduled for noon. Abdellah Ouazane was finishing his training session with Ajax at the time. When he asked what time it was, it was 11:58 a.m. The young player ran inside the training center and immediately grabbed his phone.

He checked the list of players called up by Morocco, then looked for his name among the midfielders. Nothing. “I thought to myself: it will be next time,” he told the Moroccan Federation in an interview.

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Ouazane nevertheless continued reading and eventually discovered his name in another category: that of the forwards. The disappointment immediately gave way to joy. His first instinct was to call his mother to tell her about his call-up.

“I want to give my life for this country”

At just 17, the Ajax player joined Morocco’s senior team for the first time. “It is an honor to be here. I want to give everything for this team and for this coach. I want to give my life for this country,” he said.

This first call-up gives a new dimension to the choice Ouazane made two years earlier. The player, who is also eligible to play for the Netherlands, had decided to continue his international career in Morocco’s colors.

Nevertheless, he remains grounded. Still at the beginning of his professional career, he wants to use the camp to learn from the more experienced internationals and improve through contact with the squad.

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Mohamed Ouahbi selected Ouazane in a list of 29 players for the first two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Morocco will face Gabon on 25 September, then Lesotho four days later, notes the Confederation of African Football.