Morocco’s Family First Rally: Injured Star Trio Return to Camp as New Tactics Take Shape

Family comes first as Morocco pushes through injury hurdles

In a move that underscored his true intent and deep care for team unity, Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national team, insisted that three of the Atlas Lions’ injured core players attend the current training camp at the Mohammed VI Complex, as the squad prepares for the Bahrain friendly and the Congo World Cup qualifiers for 2026.

The trio includes Nayef Aguerd (Manchester United), Sofyan Amrabat (recently transferred to Real Betis), and Azzedine Ounahi (Girona). Although Aguerd was not originally-listed for the camp, Regragui stood firm on his participation to reinforce the “family” spirit and cohesion ahead of AFCON and the World Cup journey.

A source from within the camp told KOOORA that the coach’s decision is driven by conviction and the importance of maintaining a positive atmosphere in the squad, which he believes will be decisive on the road to the continent’s flagship tournament.

Tactical shift, rehab, and the no-match policy during camp

The medical team will oversee precise rehab protocols tailored to each player, aiming to bring them back physically without rushing the process, given their central roles in the team’s structure. The three players’ presence is viewed not only for healing but also for contributing to video analysis of opponents and participating in theoretical training sessions for the new game plan the coach intends to implement.

Regragui has been clear: all three injured players will join the camp, and clubs have agreed to their participation with the condition that they are not involved in match play during this period. The idea is to embed the new system—focused on ball possession and high pressing—across consecutive training camps and friendly games so the concept sticks in the minds of the players before competitive fixtures.

Moments of recognition, challenges, and a hopeful path forward

As part of the camp’s culture, Regragui gave an upbeat, motivational speech to boost morale and planned to delay the first training session to honor Achraf Hakimi and Yassine Bono after both were named to France Football’s ideal XI. He told the squad to applaud their achievements and looked forward to Hakimi winning Ballon d’Or and Bono securing a top-5 finish, while highlighting Ayoub Akroudi’s Greek league award as a sign of Moroccan impact abroad.

On Nayef Aguerd’s side, the defender faced a difficult moment after being targeted by an attack in Marseille; the incident is under judicial investigation and the camp continues with psychological support prepared for him and others who’ve faced setbacks. The coach closed the session with a reminder: the World Cup dream gets closer with every gathering, and the team must be ready to seize it.

Punchline time, with a sniper’s wink: If the defense ever complains about a long week, tell them it’s just practice for keeping a clean sheet against all odds. And if morale were a goalkeeper, Bono would save it every time—down to a punchline even the ball would applaud.