Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi explains Sofyan Amrabat decision and backs Abdessamad Ezzalzouli

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi says Sofyan Amrabat’s contribution to the national team deserves respect but does not guarantee him selection, while insisting Abdessamad Ezzalzouli’s commitment to Morocco should not be questioned.

Ouahbi named his squad on Thursday for Morocco’s opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho, as well as a friendly against Ghana.

The coach was speaking at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in response to criticism from Amrabat, who announced last week that he was temporarily stepping away from international football.

In a lengthy statement on his official Instagram account, the Ajax Amsterdam midfielder said he would not play for Morocco while Ouahbi remained in charge.

Ouahbi, quoted by Moroccan publication Hesport, said Amrabat had given a great deal to the national team in recent years and that his achievements should not be forgotten. However, he denied there was any disagreement or conflict between them, or between Amrabat and members of the coaching staff.

“His past gives him respect and appreciation, but it does not give him privileges within the national team,” Ouahbi said.

He added that a player’s current situation and the number of minutes they are receiving for their club were among the criteria used when selecting the squad. According to the coach, Amrabat’s main difficulty at present was the limited amount of football he had played recently.

“The problem for the player is the playing minutes,” Ouahbi said, highlighting the importance of regular competition and maintaining fitness before receiving an international call-up.

Ouahbi defends Ezzalzouli

Ouahbi also addressed the controversy involving Ezzalzouli, who wore a shirt supporting the people of Ceuta during a recent club initiative.

The coach said nobody could doubt the Real Betis forward’s love for Morocco or his commitment when wearing the national-team shirt.

Ezzalzouli had only recently returned to action after a long absence and was eager to play, Ouahbi explained. That enthusiasm, he suggested, meant the player had not focused on the wording on the shirt or its wider implications.

Villarreal and Real Betis entered the field at La Ceramica on Monday wearing shirts bearing the slogan “We are all Ceutans” in solidarity with the people of Ceuta.

Ezzalzouli, who was born in Morocco and raised in the Spanish city of Elche, was subsequently subjected to a wave of criticism, abuse and threats from Moroccan social-media users. He later deleted the only photograph he had posted on Instagram in an attempt to stop the backlash.

Ouahbi said the priority was to help Ezzalzouli gradually regain his best form, while urging people to support players and keep sport separate from politics.

He also said some players had consulted him about their choices during the recent summer transfer window. Ouahbi said he had tried to offer advice in the interests of both their personal careers and the national team, while acknowledging that the players were also surrounded by people looking after their welfare.

Morocco host Gabon at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Friday, 25 September, before facing Lesotho in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on the following Tuesday. They then play Ghana in a friendly in Tangier on 4 October.