Morocco Forced into Late World Cup Reshuffle as Injuries and Fitness Doubts Bite

Morocco’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been reshaped by a double withdrawal, with winger Abde Ezzalzouli and centre-back Nayef Aguerd both replaced just days before the team’s opening match against Brazil. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed that medical examinations revealed Ezzalzouli suffered a high-grade internal ligament injury to his right knee, ruling him out of the tournament. He has been replaced by Amine Sbaï of French club Angers. Aguerd’s situation, however, quickly became more opaque. Initial reports from the Moroccan delegation in New Jersey cited a groin problem that had sidelined the Marseille defender since March, and Marwane Saadane of Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh was called up in his stead.

Yet within hours, a contrasting narrative emerged from the player himself. Speaking from Jakarta, Aguerd insisted his removal was not driven by injury. “The recovery process was positive and I was still training with the national team,” he said, “but together with the coaching staff we decided I was not yet ready to help the team during the group stage.” The clarification, carried by Indonesian media, sits uneasily alongside the federation’s more clinical language, which referred only to an ongoing “medical management process” for Aguerd. The episode underscores the intense scrutiny surrounding a Morocco side that captured global attention by reaching the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago. Captain Achraf Hakimi posted a message of solidarity for both absent players, writing that “football can be cruel sometimes” and vowing the squad would “continue to fight for you.”

Viewed from Accra, the Moroccan setbacks are part of a broader injury crisis rippling through multiple contenders. Brazil lost right-back Wesley and drafted in midfielder Éderson, while Germany have also been forced into late adjustments. For Morocco, the loss of Ezzalzouli is particularly sharp: the former Barcelona prospect had helped Real Betis qualify for the Champions League and was widely tipped as a potential breakout star on the game’s biggest stage. Aguerd, a cornerstone of the 2022 semi-final run, leaves a void in central defence that Saadane, a less experienced option at this level, must now fill.

The Atlas Lions open their campaign on Saturday at MetLife Stadium near New York, followed by a fixture against Scotland on 19 June near Boston. The late reshuffle tests the depth Walid Regragui has cultivated, but also raises questions about the transparency of medical communications within the camp. With expectations inflated by past heroics, Morocco must now prove that their resilience extends beyond the starting eleven.