Morocco have suffered a major setback just three days before their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Abdessamad Ezzalzouli and Nayef Aguerd officially ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
Morocco announced on Thursday that Ezzalzouli will miss the World Cup after sustaining an injury during Morocco's recent friendly against Norway. Medical examinations confirmed that the winger would be unable to recover in time to take part in the competition.
Aguerd has also been withdrawn from the squad after failing to fully recover from an injury that has sidelined him in recent weeks. The medical staff determined that the defender would not be fit for Morocco's upcoming matches at the tournament.
To replace the injured players, Morocco have called up Amin Sebai, who plays for French side Angers, in place of Ezzalzouli, while Marouane Saâdane, currently playing in the Saudi Pro League, has been selected as Aguerd's replacement.
The absence of Ezzalzouli and Aguerd is widely regarded as a significant blow to Morocco's World Cup ambitions, given the quality, experience, and importance of both players within the national team setup.
Ezzalzouli has become one of Morocco's most influential attacking players in recent years thanks to his pace, dribbling ability, and creativity in the final third. Aguerd, meanwhile, has established himself as a cornerstone of the team's defense and one of its most experienced international performers.
Both players were key members of the Morocco squad that made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
Their absence comes at a particularly delicate moment as Morocco finalize preparations for their opening World Cup fixture, with expectations remaining high following the team's remarkable achievements on the global stage in recent years.
Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi will now look to Sebai and Saâdane to step into important roles and help offset the loss of two players whose experience and leadership were expected to play a crucial part in Morocco's campaign.Despite the late changes to the squad, Morocco will be hoping to begin the tournament strongly and demonstrate the depth of talent available to the Atlas Lions as they seek another memorable World Cup run.
