Morocco coach Walid Regragui has explained the omission of experienced attacker Hakim Ziyech from the squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Zambia.
The Atlas Lions will battled it out with Niger before their game against Zambia in a high-stake clash scheduled for September 2025.
Ahead of the games, Regragui has announced his squad, excluding the former Ajax and Chelsea star from the team.
His omission from the squad has sparked a concerns in the North African country. However, Regragui has moved to clarify Ziyech’s situation.
“Ziyech’s absence from the Atlas Lions’ roster has convincing justifications,” Regragui said in televised statements.
“I know how important Ziyech is to Moroccan fans, but he’s currently without a team after leaving Al Duhail.”
He noted, “A player cannot be included without a team, yet Ziyech was included in the current expanded list.”
“Ziyech has the opportunity to join any club on a free transfer, after which he must shine and regain his technical level,” he noted.
“There is no truth to any punitive decision against Ziyech. The issue is purely sporting and related to competition standards and participation in matches” he concluded.
