Ziyech Breaks Silence on Morocco Omission: Was His AFCON Exclusion Justified?
7 January 2026
Ziyech Breaks Silence on Morocco Omission Ahead of AFCON Quarterfinals
In his first public comments, Hakim Ziyech explained why he did not feature in Morocco's AFCON squad, saying the absence is logical and tied to recent form.
Joining Wydad and the World Cup Hopes
Earlier this year, Ziyech joined Wydad Casablanca with the aim of featuring in AFCON 2025 hosted by Morocco, but he did not make the final selection for the tournament or be registered for the Confederation Cup.
He has not played a competitive match since leaving Qatar's Al-Duhail at the end of last season. There was no official call-up for the domestic cup either, leaving his national team prospects in doubt for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking to Hespress, the Moroccan outlet, Ziyech said his omission made sense given his two-season form. He added that perhaps he did not perform well enough to convince the coach, and that the priority now is for his teammates to win the trophy so that everyone can celebrate together.
There is still a potential route back to the national team for the 2026 World Cup, though fighting for forward roles in the Atlas Lions' attack will be tough.
Morocco are preparing to face Cameroon in the quarterfinals, with the expectation of a tough test on home soil.
Ziyech's comments underscore the delicate balance players must strike between club form and national duty, especially as AFCON 2025 coincides with Morocco's hosting duties. His decision to join Wydad was widely seen as a bid to stay close to home and audition for calls by the national team coach, but the competition for places remains fierce ahead of 2026.
If his goals were as frequent as his media appearances, Morocco would already be in the final. In the meantime, the coach is likely plotting a few tactical surprises, and fans are hoping for a twist that turns this into a fairy tale. Punchlines aside, the team keeps grinding and so do we.
Punchline 1: If goals were as frequent as his media appearances, Morocco would be lifting the trophy by now.
Punchline 2: If laughter could score goals, this squad would already be champions for morale alone.
