Ziyech and Hakimi top Morocco's World Cup squad for Qatar
Morocco coach Walid Regragui has already selected the 26 Atlas Lions who will defend the national team's jersey at the World Cup in Qatar.
Of the list, the two main stars are Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and PSG's Achraf Hakimi. Even the former is the big hope because in the last stage he had friction with former coach Vahid Halilhodzic that led him to withdraw from the call-ups.
The big absentee is Munir El Haddadi, the Getafe player will not play in his first World Cup due to injuries and the lack of continuity Quique Sanchez Flores has given him at the Madrid club.
"Decisions were made... There will be some disappointed and many will be happy. We have worked hard on this list, it is the best possible to defend our colours," said Regragui during the presentation press conference, adding: "We want to do something big. We hope that every Moroccan will support us," referring to the fact that they have one of the best teams in history.
To be fair, it was Halilhodzic who completed the qualifiers before being sacked on 11 August due to a "divergence of views" with the Moroccan Football Federation (FRFM) who were in favour of Ziyech's return.
At the end of August, Walid Regragui, a former Moroccan international who played for several French clubs, was elected coach three months before the World Cup in a message from Morocco's home country.
The goal in Qatar is to lead Morocco to equal their best-ever finish of 1986, when they were the first African team in history to reach the last 16 of a World Cup.
Morocco have been drawn in Group F alongside Croatia, Belgium and Canada.
List of 26 Moroccan players selected for the World Cup in Qatar:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla FC/ESP), Munir Mohamedi (Al Wehda Mecca/KSA), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad Casablanca/MAR).
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris SG/FRA), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich/GER), Nayef Aguerd (West Ham/ENG), Badr Benoun (Qatar SC/QAT), Romain Saïss (Besiktas/TUR), Yahya Attiat Allah (Wydad Casablanca/MAR), Jawad El Yamiq (Valladolid/ESP), Achraf Dari (Brest/FRA).
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina/ITA), Abdelhamid Sabiri (Sampdoria/ITA), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege/BEL), Azzedine Ounahi (SCO Angers/FRA), Bilal El Khannouss (KRC Genk/BEL), Yahya Jabrane (Wydad Casablanca/MAR).
Forwards: Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea/ENG), Amine Harit (Olympique de Marseille/FRA), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Osasuna/ESP), Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse FC/FRA), Sofiane Boufal (SCO Angers/FRA), Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers/ENG), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla FC/ESP), Walid Cheddira (Bari/ITA/D2), Abderrazak Hamed Allah (Ittihad FC/KSA).
