Brahim Diaz a doubt for Morocco as Ilias Akhomach earns recall

The Morocco Football Federation has called up Villarreal forward Ilias Akhomach, raising doubts over Brahim Diaz’s involvement in the national team’s upcoming fixtures.

Morocco did not initially announce which player would make way for Akhomach, but Spanish newspaper AS reported on Tuesday that all indications pointed to Real Madrid forward Diaz being omitted from the squad.

The report follows claims published by AS on Monday that Diaz had played in recent matches while suffering from significant pain. His physical problems are understood to be the main reason he could miss Morocco’s current international break.

There has been no official confirmation of Diaz’s withdrawal. However, the indications suggest the Real Madrid player may not feature for Morocco against Gabon and Lesotho, or in the expected friendly against Ghana.

Diaz is believed to need a period of rest and recovery before returning to action.

Akhomach earns another Morocco opportunity

Akhomach has been handed a fresh opportunity by Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi, who selected the Villarreal forward for the national team camp.

The federation announced the call-up on 22 September 2026, saying: “Mr. Mohamed Ouahbi calls up Ilias Akhomach to join our National Team camp.”

Akhomach was born outside Morocco, in Pierola in Barcelona, Spain, but ultimately chose to represent his country of origin at international level.

The 22-year-old has made 13 appearances for Morocco so far and is still waiting to score his first international goal.

Diaz’s physical concerns

Since the beginning of the current season, manager Jose Mourinho has shown through his comments and team selections how much he relies on Diaz.

The Morocco international has become an important option on the right side and has responded to his manager’s confidence with a series of strong performances.

After four seasons with Real Madrid, Diaz appears to be in his strongest position yet to establish himself as an indispensable first-choice player. His current physical problems, however, could temporarily interrupt that progress.

Missing the current international break could also prove beneficial for Diaz, as it would give him the opportunity to rest, recover from his problems and return to football as soon as possible.