Halilhodzic Reaffirms His Stance On Ziyech, Mazraoui Issue

Vahid Halilhodzic, the head coach of Morocco’s national team, has overtly said that he is “over” the issue of the Moroccan internationals Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui.

In an interview with the Croatian news channel Dnevnik Nova TV on April 21, the Franco-Bosnian coach touched on many issues, including his months-long rift with Ziyech and Mazraoui. 

Halilhodzic offered a combative statement when asked about a potential comeback of the two expelled players, noting that the players’ “ill-behavior” was the main reason behind cutting them from the Moroccan squad.   

“The player who refuses to train and to play, and fakes injuries – that’s a dead story for me,” he told the Croatian outlet. 

Justifying his decision, Halilhodzic stressed that every player must be fully aware of the responsibility of representing the national team and wearing the Moroccan jersey.    

“For me, the national team is something sacred. It doesn’t belong to the players but to the whole nation and when someone behaves like that, it’s the end of the story,” the Bosnian coach underscored.  

Read also: Halilhodzic: ‘My Results Speak For Me’

By these latest statements, Halilhodzic remained steadfast in his stance not to summon the expelled players to the national team despite continued calls by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) continued calls to put an end to the long-standing rift. 

Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), said that he will hold a meeting with Halilhodzic at the end of this month after he returns from vacation to solve this dispute before the World Cup kick-off. 

Halilhodizic has been under fire lately, especially after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) disappointment.

Moroccan football fans have been pointing fingers at the Bosnian coach, blaming  “his ill-management and stubborn nature” as the main reason for the team’s early AFCON exit. 

They also blamed him for excluding some of Morocco’s most talented players such as Hakim Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui, and  Abderrazak Hamdallah.