Morocco Faces Injury Concerns Before World Cup 2026
As Morocco gears up for the World Cup 2026, the national team faced a significant setback during their final preparation match. The Lions of the Atlas were left on edge following injuries to two key players, Noussair Mazraoui and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, during their 1-1 draw against Norway at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, just a week before their tournament debut.
Noussair Mazraoui, who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich, was the first to leave the pitch, sustaining an arm injury in the 29th minute during a clash with an opponent. His forced substitution for Youssef Belammari disrupted the strategies of head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. Shortly before halftime, the situation worsened when Ezzalzouli, a prominent offensive asset for the team, collided with his teammate Chadi Riad during a corner kick. He exited the field visibly in pain, clutching his right knee, and was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi at the beginning of the second half.
The Moroccan coaching staff's concern is particularly focused on Ezzalzouli, the 24-year-old Betis winger, who left the field significantly impacted. The medical team of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) will need to assess whether he is dealing with a muscle strain or a more severe injury that could sideline him for the World Cup.
Before these injuries occurred, Brahim Díaz had given Morocco the lead in the 8th minute, receiving a pass from Ezzalzouli at the edge of the box and scoring with a low shot past the Norwegian goalkeeper. This marked the 14th goal for the Real Madrid midfielder while wearing the colors of the Lions of the Atlas. Norway, despite having an earlier goal from Alexander Sørloth disallowed for a foul on Mazraoui, took time to respond. In the 75th minute, Martin Ødegaard capitalized on an assist from Oscar Bobb from the byline to equalize the score.
The result left both teams with mixed feelings as they approach the tournament. For Morocco, the outcome was overshadowed by the physical condition of their players. The team was already missing Chemsdine Talbi and Nayef Aguerd, the latter having gone without playing time since March. The accumulation of injuries adds pressure on Ouahbi as the World Cup debut looms.
Morocco is set to open its World Cup 2026 campaign on Saturday, June 13, against Brazil in Group C, followed by matches against Scotland on June 19 and Haiti on June 24. The African squad is coming off a remarkable run that saw them reach the semifinals in Qatar 2022.
It is worth noting that FIFA allows teams to make changes to their rosters up to 24 hours before their first match in the tournament.
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti.
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Youssef Belammari, Redouane Halhal, and Anass Salah-Eddine.
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Samir El Mourabet, and Ismael Saibari.
Forwards: Brahim Díaz, Abde Ezzalzouli, Ayoub El Kaabi, Soufiane Rahimi, Chemsdine Talbi, Gessime Yassine, and Ayoube Amaimouni.
As reported by infobae.com.
