Abdellah Ouazane earns first Morocco call up after selection mix up

Abdellah Ouazane initially thought he had been left out of Morocco’s squad before discovering his name among the forwards for his first senior international call-up at the age of 17.

The Ajax Amsterdam midfielder was checking Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad list when he failed to find his name among the midfielders.

“I thought to myself: it’s okay, it’ll be for next time, God willing,” he recounted.

His disappointment lasted only briefly. Ouazane eventually found his name further down the list in the forwards section, confirming his place in Morocco’s squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The teenager immediately shared the news with his family.

“I called my mom right away ,” the young Moroccan confided, delighted to share this first call-up to the senior national team with her.

Ouazane’s selection follows an impressive rise through the Moroccan youth teams and into Ajax’s first-team setup.

In 2025, he helped Morocco win the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations and was named the tournament’s best player.

The attacking midfielder developed through Ajax’s youth system before making the step up to the Dutch club’s first team.

His performances at the beginning of the season, including his first decisive contributions, caught the attention of Ouahbi and led to his inclusion in the senior squad.

The Morocco coach also travelled to Amsterdam to watch Ouazane at close quarters before making his decision.

His progress has now earned him a place among the six major new additions to Morocco’s first squad since the 2026 World Cup.

Although Ouazane’s inclusion among the forwards initially surprised him, the position on the squad list does not necessarily determine where he will play.

The 17-year-old can operate centrally, play behind a striker or move into wider areas to help build attacks.

His technical ability and capacity to carry the ball forward give Ouahbi another option in the attacking areas of the team.

However, Ouazane is not expected to immediately establish himself as a regular starter.

The competition for places in the Morocco squad is strong and the teenager recognises that he still has plenty to learn from the more experienced players around him.

He has described the opportunity to represent Morocco as “an honor” and says he is ready to give everything for the national team.

Morocco’s upcoming fixtures could provide Ouazane with an opportunity to make his senior debut.

The Atlas Lions will host Gabon on Friday before travelling to Lesotho on 29 September. They will then face Ghana in a friendly.

For Ouazane, the immediate priority will be adapting to the senior squad and showing the coaching staff what he can offer during training.

His first call-up marks another significant step in a career that has developed quickly, from winning the U17 AFCON with Morocco to breaking into Ajax’s first team and now receiving recognition at senior international level.

What began with Ouazane believing he had been overlooked on the squad list has ended with one of the biggest moments of his young career.

𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗔 𝗣𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗖 𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗔 ! 🇲🇦🤩

Abdellah Ouazane. 💎 pic.twitter.com/kZYCxI9dds

— Actu Foot Maroc (@ActuFootMaroc) September 21, 2026