Morocco Announces 34-Man Squad Ahead of September Friendlies Against Qatar and Libya
Rabat — Morocco’s national team coach Badou Zaki has named a preliminary list of 34 players as preparations begin for two key friendly matches against Qatar on September 3 and Libya on September 7. The squad will be trimmed to 23-24 players ahead of the training camp ahead of these fixtures.
The squad features the return of experienced players Marouane Chamakh, Karim El Ahmadi, Youssef El Arabi Dirar, and Zakaria Labyad, providing a boost to the Atlas Lions’ roster. Notably absent are stars such as Mbark Boussoufa and Adel Taarabt, who were not selected. Meanwhile, the coach has not yet ruled out the inclusion of Issam Erraki and Mohcine Moutaouali, both currently playing in the Gulf region.
Five goalkeepers have been pre-selected, highlighting ongoing competition for the position.
With no qualifying matches due to Morocco hosting the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, the Atlas Lions will rely heavily on these friendlies to fine-tune their squad ahead of the continent’s premier tournament. Coach Zaki is keen to maximize every opportunity to prepare his team for a strong showing on home soil.
The preliminary squad includes a blend of domestic and international players:
Goalkeepers: Khalid El Askri (RCA), Yassine Bounou (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Anas Zniti (AS FAR), Mohamed El Yousfi (MAT), Mohamed Aberhoune (MAT).
Defenders: Mehdi Benatia (AS Roma, Italy), Marouane Da Costa (Sivasspor, Turkey), Zouhair Feddal (Palermo, Italy), Mohammed Oulhaj (RCA), Zakaria Bergdich (Real Valladolid, Spain), Abdelhamid El Kaoutari (Montpellier, France).
Midfielders: Karim El Ahmadi (Aston Villa, England), Abdelaziz Barrada (Olympique Marseille, France), Younès Belhanda (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine), Omar El Kaddouri (Torino, Italy), Zakaria Labyad (Vitesse Arnhem, Netherlands), Mohamed Berrabeh (WAC), Soufiane Gadoum (DHJ), Issam Erraki (Emirates Club, UAE).
Forwards: Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace, England), Abderrazak Hamdallah (Guangzhou, China), Youssef El Arabi (Granada, Spain), Nordin Amrabat (Galatasaray, Turkey), Abdeljalil Jbira (RCA).
This call-up reflects Morocco’s intention to build a competitive and balanced squad ready to capitalize on their status as hosts of the upcoming African football showpiece.
