Morocco: Walid Regragui lays down the law on the Atlas Lions

The head coach of Morocco's national team, Walid Regragui, has warned his players about maintaining consistent performance to secure their spot in the squad.

Following his announcement of the Atlas Lions squad for the 5th and 6th rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, many observers have criticized Walid's decision to leave out Hakim Ziyech. Criticism that did not sit well with the Moroccan coach. True to his philosophy, he has always prioritized his players' performance over their big names:

As I always say, Morocco is bigger than anyone [...] we need players who are certain about wanting to play for Morocco and are willing to give 100%. The door is open, the desire must come from them.

Players not included in his list and wishing to return to the squad are now on notice. As a reminder, Morocco will play Niger and Tanzania on March 21 and 25 respectively in the 5th and 6th rounds of these World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.