Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd has cleared the air regarding his absence from the final Morocco squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Marseille center-back emphasized that his omission was not caused by a new injury setback, highlighting that his situation was entirely different from that of teammate Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.
Aguerd had previously undergone surgery in March to repair an adductor injury. With permission from his club, Marseille, he returned to Morocco in May to complete his rehabilitation in a race against time to be fit for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Mohamed Wahbi’s Tough Decision on Aguerd and Ezzalzouli
Because the star center-back was unable to feature in any pre-World Cup friendly matches, Atlas Lions head coach Mohamed Wahbi ultimately decided to omit him from the final roster. This decision coincided with the forced exclusion of Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, who picked up an unfortunate injury during Morocco’s warm-up friendly against Norway.
Aguerd Speaks on the Omission
Commenting on his departure from the World Cup squad, Aguerd stated with immense realism:
“This is absolutely not a new setback. On the contrary, I feel better day by day, and the injury is behind me now.”
He added: “In consultation with the technical staff, we felt that my current match fitness would not allow me to help the national team the way I wanted to during the group stage. Despite all the hard work over the past few weeks, it became clear that I wouldn’t be 100% physically ready for the start of the tournament. Therefore, the decision was made by mutual agreement to serve the best interest of the team.”
Replacement Named as Morocco Prepares for Brazil Clash
To fill the defensive void, coach Mohamed Wahbi has officially called up Al-Fateh (Saudi Arabia) defender Marouane Saadan to replace Aguerd in the Atlas Lions’ roster.
Morocco is placed in a highly competitive Group C and faces a demanding schedule:
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Morocco vs. Brazil: Sunday morning (Matchday 1)
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Morocco vs. Scotland: June 20 (Matchday 2)
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Morocco vs. Haiti: June 25 (Matchday 3)
