CAN 2025: Regragui puts pressure on Neil El Aynaoui

During the announcement of his squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers this weekend, the head of the Atlas Lions, Walid Regragui, once again called out the young RC Lens prodigy, Neil El Aynaoui, on his hesitation to commit fully to the Moroccan national team.

The head of the Den unveiled the 26 players called up to face Niger and Tanzania on March 21 and 25 in Oujda. This list marks the arrival of several promising young talents like Bilal Nadir (OM), Chemsedine Talbi (Club Bruges), Omar El Hilali (Espanyol), and Hamza Igamane (Glasgow Rangers). However, Neil El Aynaoui is still notably absent.

“Morocco is bigger than anyone”

Despite his notable performances with Lens, where he has recently scored three goals in French Ligue 1, the 23-year-old attacking midfielder is slow to fully commit to the Atlas Lions.

An indecision that Regragui seems no longer willing to tolerate:

"I left the door open, it still is. But Morocco is bigger than anyone. We need players who are fully committed, especially with the next CAN at home," he stated. Video:

The message is clear: the ball is now in El Aynaoui's court…

Amine Jomni |

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African football writer and sports journalist covering football news, stories and insights while sharing his expertise with fans across the continent.