Sofyan Amrabat rejects Mohamed Ouahbi’s explanation for Morocco absence

Sofyan Amrabat has rejected claims that his decision not to make himself available for Morocco is linked to concerns over his playing time or whether he is selected in the starting XI.

The Ajax Amsterdam midfielder responded to comments from Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who had attributed the player’s current unavailability to dissatisfaction with the amount of football he had been receiving.

Speaking to ESPN, Amrabat said that interpretation did not reflect the real reason for his position and expressed surprise at the coach’s explanation.

“I did not expect that. It is a little strange,” said Amrabat.

The midfielder insisted that neither starting matches nor the number of minutes he plays has ever been a condition for representing Morocco. He said he had never demanded a starting place during his career, either with the clubs he has played for or with the national team.

Amrabat stressed that his decision was not motivated by his role in the team or by the length of his appearances. He said representing Morocco remained a source of great pride and described wearing the national shirt as the greatest honour a player can receive.

He added that the value of playing for his country could not be measured by minutes on the pitch. Whether a player features for 90 minutes, 20 minutes, 10 minutes or does not play at all, he said, the commitment to representing Morocco should not be defined by playing time.

Amrabat therefore made clear that his current position is entirely separate from the question of whether he starts matches or how many minutes he is given.