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Rabat – Moroccan football players Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui have denied reports that they will return to play with Morocco’s national football team.
In a rebuke to the Moroccan Federation’s claim that the two players will rejoin the national team after a long period of unjustified ostracism, Ziyech said he had no intention to to come back.
In an Instagram post, Ziyech apologized to his fans for his decision to return to the national squad.
“I love my country and playing for the Moroccan national football team has been the honour of my lifetime, so it is with great sadness that I must announce that although the FRMF President today confirmed that I will be pre-selected for the team I won’t be returning to play fo Morocco,” he said.
Read also: Sorry Ziyech, Mazraoui: Halilhodzic Was Never the Coach Morocco Needs
President of Morocco’s Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa claimed earlier on Sunday that both Ziyech and Mazraoui will return to the national squad, and be part of the players who will participate in the upcoming matches against Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ziyech regretted that he had faced what he described as “misinformation from the leadership ” about him and his commitment for his country.
“Their actions have made it impossible for me to continue to be part of the team,” he said.
Ziyech also made it clear that he was not given any advance information about his pre-selection.
“I learned the news about the pre-selection at the same time as everyone else, so I’m releasing the statement to ensure that you hear the truth directly from me,” he said.
In addition to Ziyech, Mazraoui made similar remarks, denying he will be part of the national team in the upcoming matches.
“After all what has been said and done I recently still had the decency to talk and communicate with the federations official about the situation in the past years. I did this for the love I have for the fans and my country Morocco,” Mazraoui said.
Regretting he will not be part of the selection playing the upcoming matches, Mazraoui referred to the rift he had with head coach of the national team Vahid Halilhodzic.
“Unfortunately the coach didn’t have time to meet and discuss the situation that created,and me as a player of el Motakhab (sic) [national team]. Meeting the head coach and clearing al (sic) the misconceptions around me is of (sic) upmost importance to me as a professional athlete and simply as a human being,” he said.
Both Mazraoui and Ziyech are world-class football players. Football fans have long criticized the FRMF and head coach for ostracizing both players. None of them took part , in the the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), which took place betwee January and February in Cameroon. Morocco was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Egypt following a dismal and disappointing performance. .
