Morocco international Hakim Ziyech says he holds no grudges after being left out of the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ziyech, who recently joined Moroccan giants Wydad AC could not make the cut for the continental showpiece, being held in Morocco, having failed to impress head coach Walid Regragui at club level.
Speaking in an interview, the former Ajax and Chelsea star stressed he hold no qualms over his exclusion from the Morocco’s AFCON squad, insisting his exclusion from the team is logical.
“The reason for my absence from the Africa Cup of Nations is, first and foremost, logical. Perhaps I haven’t performed well enough over the past two seasons to impress the coach. The most important thing is that my teammates win the title so we can all celebrate.” He said as quoted by Soccer212.
In his absence, the Atlas Lions has impressed at the continental showpiece, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament. Morocco will take on Cameroon in a high-stake quarterfinals against Cameroon on Saturday, January 10, 2026, with both teams seeking for victory.
Ziyech has made 64 appearances for the Morocco national team, scoring 25 goals since his debut in 2015. The enterprising attacker played his first match for the Atlas Lions in a friendly against Rwanda, where his outfit secured a 3-1 win.
