Sofyan Amrabat, the Moroccan international and Ajax Amsterdam midfielder, has announced his decision to distance himself from the national team as long as Mohamed Ouahbi remains the coach. In a heartfelt message shared on his Instagram account, Amrabat emphasized that this decision does not equate to his retirement from international football, leaving the door open for a potential return in the future.
Amrabat described the decision as "extremely difficult," expressing his feelings of being unable to continue representing his country under the current coaching regime. He stated, "Therefore, I am putting myself out of consideration as long as he is in charge," while refraining from disclosing the specific reasons behind his stance. He further clarified that he prefers to keep the motivations for his decision private, stating, "out of respect for the national team and everyone associated with it." He concluded by addressing any speculation surrounding his international career, confirming that he has not retired from playing with the Atlas Lions and has not closed the door on a future return.
Declining Role with the National Team
This announcement comes on the heels of Amrabat's diminishing role with the Moroccan national team during the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The midfielder started only one of the six matches that Morocco played in the tournament, which ended in the quarter-finals after a loss to France. The emergence of Ayoub Bouanani, a midfielder from Manchester City, has also intensified competition for Amrabat's position within the squad.
Amrabat was a key player in the historic run of the Moroccan team during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which saw them reach the semi-finals under coach Walid Regragui. However, since Mohamed Ouahbi took over as the national team's coach in March, following Regragui's departure, Amrabat's role has significantly diminished.
Keeping the Door Open for the Future
Despite his decision to step back, Amrabat made it clear that he will remain the "number one fan" of the Moroccan national team during his hiatus. Recently, Ajax announced on August 30 that they had signed the Moroccan midfielder until the summer of 2028, following the termination of his contract with Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
Looking ahead, Morocco is set to kick off their journey in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, hosting Gabon on September 25 at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat, followed by a match against Lesotho in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on September 29. The Africa Cup of Nations 2027 will be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
