Azzedine Ounahi’s Africa Cup of Nations journey may be over, but the Morocco midfielder has made it clear his influence within the Atlas Lions camp is far from finished.
Ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after suffering an injury during the final training session before the Round of 16 clash against Tanzania, Ounahi responded not with frustration, but with a message of defiance and unity aimed squarely at Morocco’s title-hungry supporters.
The injury, which will sideline him for around six weeks, brought a premature end to what was expected to be another important AFCON campaign for the dynamic midfielder.
Yet within hours of the setback, Ounahi took to Instagram to address fans directly, thanking them for “the huge amount of messages of support, encouragement and love” he received.
He said those messages touched him deeply and gave him “indescribable moral strength,” adding that he would carry that support with him “in every step ahead.”
Ounahi was also keen to clarify the nature of the injury, stressing that it occurred “without any contact” and describing it as “something that can happen in football.”
He firmly dismissed any suggestion of blame, stating unequivocally that none of his teammates were involved.
Although his injury rules him out physically for the rest of the tournament, the midfielder insisted his presence within the group remains unwavering.
“I may be absent physically from the pitch, but I am present with my teammates with the spirit of a warrior,” he wrote.
He added that he would continue to support both players and technical staff “with full determination and commitment,” noting that the group’s objective is “one and clear,” to “fight together until the last breath to win the Africa Cup and make Moroccans happy.”
Ounahi closed his message by reaffirming his bond with the national team, signing off with a rallying cry that resonated strongly with supporters: “Dima Maghrib.”
