Morocco became the second African national team competing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup to release their official squad list for the football showcase in Qatar. The Atlas Lions have high expectations for the competition where they will compete for a top-2 position in Group F along with Belgium, Canada and Morocco. Walid Regragui’s team will start the tournament with a matchup against Croatia on November 23 before taking on Belgium November 27 and wrapping up the group stage against Canada on December 1.
Chelsea playmaker Hakim Ziyech headlines the attack and will return to competitive action for the Atlas Lions, joining other creative talents including Soufiane Boufal of Angers, Marseille’s Amine Harit and young prospect Abde Ezzalzouli who is on loan at La Liga club Osasuna from FC Barcelona. Striking options for the Moroccan team include the in form Zakaria Aboukhlal, Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Abderrazak Hamdallah who returns to the setup after last appearing for his country in 2019.
West Ham United center back Nayaf Aguerd is making a return from injury just in time to lead the Moroccan defense since his big money move to the English Premier League. Besiktas center back Romain Saïss will captain the side after also making a recent return from injury. Noussair Mazraoui and Achraf Hakimi offer technical skill out wide at the fullback positions to round out a talented defensive group that also includes former Wydad AC star center back Achraf Dari.
Wydad are the only Moroccan club represented in the team with left back Yahia Attiat Allah, central midfielder Yahya Jabrane and goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnouti making the team as the third goalkeeper. Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is set to be the starter between the posts and Munir Mohamedi is a more than capable backup for Bounou who was given the Zamora Trophy in Spain’s La Liga for the 2021-22 season as well as the African MVP award.
Selim Amallah of Belgian club Standard Liège headlines the midfield as a player in the center of the park who can move forward to create and score goals. Italian-based Sofyan Amrabat is a more defensive presence along with Jabrane while Azzedine Ounahi, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Ilias Chair of Queens Park Rangers offer more attacking ability.
See the full list below.
