Mohamed Ouahbi's Vision for the Moroccan National Team
In a significant development for Moroccan football, Mohamed Ouahbi has been appointed as the new head coach of the national team, succeeding Walid Regragui. This announcement comes at a pivotal time, just three months ahead of the World Cup, and Ouahbi is already making headlines. Following a recent decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which declared Morocco the champions of the last Africa Cup of Nations after ruling that Senegal had forfeited the final match, Ouahbi celebrated this ruling as "very good news." During his inaugural press conference since taking over the reins on March 5, he expressed optimism about the implications of this decision, stating that it is bound to have a positive impact on the team's morale.
Upcoming Friendlies and New Player Selections
This controversy between Morocco and Senegal is expected to evolve, with indications that Senegal plans to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the only body capable of overturning CAF's decision. As Ouahbi embarks on his coaching journey, he has also unveiled a squad of 28 players for the upcoming friendly matches against Ecuador and Paraguay. This roster includes both seasoned players and emerging talents, showcasing Ouahbi's commitment to blending experience with youth as he prepares for international competition. The match against Ecuador, led by coach Sebastián Beccacece, is scheduled for March 27 at 17:15 (Argentina time) and will take place at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Following that, Morocco will face Paraguay, under coach Gustavo Alfaro, on March 31 at 16:00 in the Bollaert-Delelis Stadium in Lens, France.
The selected players include goalkeepers Mehdi Benabid, Yassine Bounou, and Mehdi Al Harrar; defenders Achraf Hakimi, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Issa Diop, Ismaël Baouf, Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, Redouane Halhal, Chadi Riad, Souffian El Karouani, Anass Salah-Eddine, and Noussair Mazraoui; midfielders Azzedine Ounahi, Ismaël Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, Samir El Mourabet, Neil El Aynaoui, Oussama Targhalline, and Mohamed Rabie Hrimat; as well as forwards Brahim Díaz, Yassine Gessime, Ayoub El Kaabi, Yassir Zabiri, Soufiane Rahimi, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Chemsdine Talbi, and Amine Adli. The upcoming friendlies will serve as crucial preparation as the Moroccan team aims to establish its presence on the international stage.
As reported by ole.com.ar.
