Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national team, revealed the reasons behind Hakim Ziyech’s absence from the « Atlas Lions » squad for the matches against the Central African Republic, as part of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which Morocco is hosting.
Regragui explained that Ziyech, who missed his club’s recent games due to injury, has only recently returned to training after recovering. However, his physical condition has not yet reached the required level for him to be called up to the national team at this time.
In his statements, the national coach said: « Hakim Ziyech was injured with us during the last camp, and he is not fully ready to participate in the next two matches. »
Regragui also pointed to the absence of another key player, Brahim Diaz, who is also recovering from an injury, which has kept him out of the squad for the two crucial fixtures.
The absence of these two prominent players comes at a sensitive time for the Moroccan team, which is continuing its preparations for the qualifiers with the aim of securing a spot in the upcoming continental tournament. This presents Morocco with a rare opportunity to host Africa’s biggest football event after years of absence.
