SOFIANE BOUFAL SKIPS MOROCCO CALL-UP TO PRIORITIZE LILLE
Sofiane Boufal will not be part of the Moroccan national team for their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe. Despite his impressive form with Lille (LOSC), the winger has opted to stay with his club instead of joining the national squad.
The decision has sparked criticism among Moroccan fans, who view Boufal’s absence as a sign of disrespect toward the national team. However, Hakim Belmoulat, the player’s former advisor, defended Boufal in an interview with Mountakhab.net.
“Everyone is getting worked up about Boufal supposedly choosing France over Morocco, but that debate has never even existed,” said Belmoulat. “Sofiane has never spoken about France, neither to the press, nor his entourage, nor to coach Badou Zaki — and Zaki himself knows that well.”
Belmoulat clarified the real reason behind the winger’s absence:
“For this call-up, Sofiane wants to focus entirely on his club. From what I’ve heard, Lille’s management also asked him to prioritize the club, fearing he could get injured, as they are counting heavily on him this season.”
Boufal’s commitment to Lille appears to be the key factor in his decision — not any divided national allegiance.
