By Walid Regragui held a press conference on Thursday to unveil the list of players called up to face Niger and Tanzania in the margins of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
In response to a question, the national team coach addressed the absence of Hakim Ziyech. The player has not been called up to the Moroccan national team since September last year, during the match against Lesotho in the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. His absence was primarily attributed to his lack of playing time with his former club, Galatasaray, prior to his transfer to Al-Duhail.
“Hakim Ziyech is a talented player who has made significant contributions to the team. He will always be important to the squad. However, he must regain his form,” stated Regragui.
The coach emphasized that Ziyech, a skilled player, will return to the national team once he reaches his peak performance levels. “I traveled to Doha to attend the match between Al Duhail and Al Sadd to monitor Hakim Ziyech and Romain Saiss. Ziyech was a substitute in that match. He has only played 90 minutes in two matches so far. I have important decisions to make. Our current aim is to have Ziyech performing at his best,” he disclosed.
Recent rumors have suggested that Hakim Ziyech may have decided to retire from international football.
When contacted by Le Site Info, a representative from the FRMF clarified that these claims are entirely unfounded. “Hakim Ziyech has not informed either the Federation or the national team coach about such a decision. The player has not even announced it on his social media platforms. The circulating rumors are baseless,” our source decisively concluded.
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