Morocco name squad for September AFCON qualifiers; Achraf Hakimi called up

Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi named his squad on Thursday for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho and for a friendly with Ghana. The selection includes defender Achraf Hakimi among a group that mixes established internationals and several first-time call-ups.

Several players earned their first senior summons: Yasser Zabiri, a Racing Santander forward with six goals in six games in the Spanish league; Abdellah Ouazane; goalkeeper Alaa Belaaroussi; Soufiane El Fouzi; and Taoufik Bentayeb. The squad announcement also notes that Zabiri and El Faouzi join Ouazane as rookies and that Ouahbi has introduced younger players while retaining much of the national team’s established core.

Familiar faces feature as well, with goalkeepers Yassine Bounou and Munir Mohamedi listed among recent stalwarts. Defenders Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli are included, with the report stating that Ezzalzouli “preserved his spot despite a recent controversy with the Ceuta support shirt and the subsequent criticism.”

The goalkeeper and defender roster published in the announcement reads: Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Alaa Bellaarouch. Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Issa Diop, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Anass Salah-Eddine, Ali Maamar, Marwane Saadane, Redouane Halhal, Zakaria El Ouahdi.

Midfielders named are Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El Khannouss, Ismael Saibari, Oussama Targhalline, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Samir El Mourabet, Neil El Aynaoui and Soufiane El-Faouzi. The forwards list comprises Brahim Diaz, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Soufiane Rahimi, Abdellah Ouazane, Yassine Gessime, Yassir Zabiri and Tawfik Bentayeb.

The call-up for Zabiri is linked directly to his scoring form with Racing Santander, while the announcement says El Faouzi has stood out at Schalke 04 and that 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane has been elevated to the senior squad as his quick improvement continues. The manager’s selections, the statement adds, pair newcomers with the core of the side.

Morocco will begin their qualifying campaign at home against Gabon on Friday, September 25, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, then face Lesotho four days later on Tuesday 29th in Bloemfontein, South Africa, with a friendly against Ghana scheduled for October 4 in Tangier. The squad was published on Twitter with the message: لائحة منتخبنا الوطني لخوض مباراتي الغابون وليسوتو ضمن تصفيات كأس أمم إفريقيا، والمباراة الودية أمام منتخب غانا بمدينة طنجة 🔛 Our National Team squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Gabon 🇬🇦 and Lesotho 🇱🇸, and the friendly against Ghana 🇬🇭 in Tangier#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/sAxl804Ky3