Omar El Hilali hopeful of Morocco return after painful international omissions

Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali hopes to be included in Morocco’s squad for the next international break after being left out of the team’s plans for the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, El Hilali said his prospects of returning to the national side depended on maintaining a high standard for his club.

“If you perform at the required level with your club, you will always have a chance of being called up to the national team. When you do not, your chances fall to the lowest level,” he said.

“When the time comes, it will happen. If I am called up, I will be very happy. If it does not happen, I will keep working so that, at some point, I can return to the Morocco squad.”

El Hilali admitted that missing the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup had been difficult.

“Does it make you sad to be left out of the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup? It does, because you had the opportunity to go with your country and, in the end, you did not go,” he said.

“Whether you want to or not, you start thinking: what could I have done so I could go?”

The defender said he now viewed Morocco’s matches as a supporter, but remained confident that further opportunities would arise.

“I have become just another fan of theirs. In football, there are always second and third chances, and I am still young,” he said.

“I hope that one day I can play in the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup. That comes from what you produce with your club. I am 100% focused.”

El Hilali also gave his view on the disputed Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.

“In any football match, the moment one of the competitors leaves the pitch, the other team should be awarded the win,” he said.

“If I do not like what the referee is saying and decide to leave the pitch, that makes no sense. It is about the rules of football, and the referee is there for a reason. You may or may not like the decision, but you have to continue and abide by it.”

On Brahim Diaz’s penalty, El Hilali acknowledged the element of chance but said other factors had also played a part.

“It is true that people often say penalties are like a lottery, but there were also many influential factors, such as the tension and the pitch,” he said.

“Next time we have to win, and I am sure nobody will remember what happened.”

El Hilali’s contract with Espanyol runs until 2027. It also contains a further one-year option linked to the achievement of a set of targets.

“I have a contract until 2027, and after that there is an optional year connected to meeting a number of objectives. If those objectives are not achieved, there are other economic matters and so on,” he said.