{"id":1707,"date":"2026-05-26T20:36:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T20:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1707"},"modified":"2026-05-26T20:36:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T20:36:17","slug":"moroccos-hakimi-among-9-picked-for-world-cup-returning-from-historic-2022-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1707","title":{"rendered":"Morocco’s Hakimi among 9 picked for World Cup returning from historic 2022 squad"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FILE – Morocco players pose for a photo ahead of their World Cup group E qualifying soccer match against Niger at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File) (STR\/AP)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

RABAT, Morocco \u2014 Paris Saint-Germain standout Achraf Hakimi was among nine players from Morocco\u2019s history-making 2022 World Cup squad picked Tuesday for the 2026 tournament in North America<\/a> .<\/p>

Read more Tampa Bay Rays sign veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel to shore up bullpen<\/a><\/p>\n

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who was hired only in March<\/a> , drew heavily on the country\u2019s diaspora in Europe where the majority of the 26 players he selected were born.<\/p>\n

Ouahbi was himself born in Belgium while Hakimi<\/a> and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz are among five players in the squad born in Spain and whose family ties make them eligible for Morocco.<\/p>\n

Three of Morocco\u2019s squad \u2014 Fulham defender Issa Diop<\/a> , PSV Eindhoven defender Anass Salah-Eddine and 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi<\/a> \u2014 had their change of national eligibility approved by FIFA in the past nine months. Diaz has played for Morocco since 2024 after previously representing Spain.<\/p>\n

Morocco will be based in New Jersey where it opens against Brazil on June 13 in East Rutherford. Morocco then plays Scotland in Massachusetts and finishes Group C against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta. The top two in the standings go direct to the round of 16 and the third-place team also could advance.<\/p>\n

At the 2022 World Cup, Morocco was a surprise as the first-ever semifinalist from Africa, when it was coached by Walid Regragui.<\/p>\n

Morocco topped its group ahead of Croatia and Belgium then shockingly eliminated Spain and Portugal<\/a> in the knockout rounds before an injury-hit team lost to France.<\/p>\n

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who impressed in Qatar, returns for his third World Cup at age 35.<\/p>

Read more The many hang-ups to a peace deal with Iran<\/a><\/p>\n

Morocco will go to the United States as the African champion \u2014 for now. That title awarded in a legal case could be lost within months at the Court of Arbitration for Sport where Senegal has appealed to regain its victory<\/a> won on the field in January in Morocco.<\/p>\n

After losing the final to Senegal four months ago, Regragui stepped down and was replaced by Ouahbi who guided Morocco to the Under-20 World Cup title last year. That team which beat Argentina in the final included Strasbourg forward Gessime Yassine, who Ouhabi picked again Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Morocco will play at the 2030 World Cup as a co-host with Spain and Portugal, plus South American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay \u2014 the original tournament host in 1930 \u2014 which get one game each.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Morocco<\/p>\n

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (AS FAR)<\/p>\n

Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Redouane Halhal (Mechelen), Issa Diop (Fulham)<\/p>\n

Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven)<\/p>\n

Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Gessime Yassine (Strasbourg), Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyabe (Eintracht Frankfurt)<\/p>

Read more Live updates: Texas Senate primary election runoff results 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/fifa-world-cup<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Paris Saint-Germain standout Achraf Hakimi was among nine players from Morocco\u2019s history-making 2022 World Cup squad picked Tuesday for the 2026 tournament in North America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nMorocco's Hakimi among 9 picked for World Cup returning from historic 2022 squad - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1707\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Morocco's Hakimi among 9 picked for World Cup returning from historic 2022 squad - 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