Rabat – Despite his injury, Morocco’s international football player Amine Harit will accompany the Atlas Lions to the World Cup in Qatar.
Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa wants Harit to join the national team, allowing the injured Atlas Lion to benefit from the “bonuses” the World Cup squad can earn through a strong performance at the global football tournament.
A source within the FRMF confirmed the news to Moroccan news outlet Le360, adding that Harit’s father will likely accompany his son to Qatar.
Harit, who plays for Olympique Marseille, suffered a serious knee injury during a match against AS Monaco on Sunday. The injury will likely leave Harit on the bench for several months.
The player incurred his injury in the 58th minute of the game, after coming into contact with Monaco’s Axel Disasi.
The injury came just a few days after Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui included Harit in his 26-man lineup for the 2021 World Cup.
The football player received overwhelming support and messages of solidarity from the national team and Olympique Marseille.
“He got injured just before the World Cup, we have been talking about it all week, I’m very sad,” Olympique Marseille Igor Tudor said following the injury.
Harit’s teammate Matteo Guendouzi also regretted the injury, and expressed compassion for Harit.
“It seems to me to be a bit serious,” he said, stressing that Harit’s dream to play with Morocco’s national team in the World Cup in Qatar is now in doubt.
Disasi, Monaco’s key player also expressed sadness over Harit’s injury, stressing that the incident was an accident.
The football player, however, denounced racist attacks against him saying that he and his family had received insults.
“The insults towards my family, the racism, the disclosure of my telephone number … are unacceptable and incomprehensible things in 2022,” Disasi said.
As the countdown for the World Cup continues there are now only four days to go before the largest football competition starts, on November 20 with the opening match pitting Ecuador against host Qatar.
Morocco’s first World Cup match will take place on November 23, with a tough opening game against 2018 World Cup finalist Croatia.
