Rabat – In a recent interview with his Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, Moroccan football player Ismael Saibari spoke about his first participation in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), reflecting sadly on his squad’s defeat against South Africa.
For the 23-year-old player, the defeat in the Round of 16 is still a painful blow.
“Elimination against South Africa still hurts. Fans came all the way from Morocco on bikes and motorcycles to support us, and it hurts for them too,” Saibari admitted. He said that his team was “partly responsible for the defeat,” only adding to the sting.
Despite being tipped as favorites by the vast majority of pundits, Morocco came up short in the Round of 16 at this year’s AFCON. It was in a match largely dominated by the South African team that the Atlas Lions fell.
The national team’s early exit from this continental competition left a bitter taste for the players, the staff members, and Moroccan fans. Saibari, one of the talented members of the national team, is still reeling from the disappointment.
“This is the first tournament I’ve taken part in with the first team. I found myself playing alongside some great world-class players,” he said, stressing that his aim was also “to win the CAN with the senior team after the U-23 AFCON feat. Unfortunately, that did not happen.”
The Moroccan international player also spoke of the difficulties his team encountered playing in the heat in Cote d’Ivoire, saying that “it [was] usually no less than 35°C, so it [was] not easy to play football.”
“You have to save as much energy as possible. Sometimes, our opponents might not have been the best technicians on the pitch, but they were almost all there physically,” he added.
Earlier in 2023, the midfielder took part in the same African tournament for the U-23 team, with which he won the first ever title.
Having returned to his Dutch club for over a week, Saibari appears to be well-positioned for the remainder of the season.
Last week, PSV faced Ajax Amsterdam as part of the 20th day of the Netherlands Eredivisie football league. Thanks to one of Saibari’s passes, his teammate Luuk de Jong landed the ball in the net in the 34th minute, tying the score 1-1 with Ajax.
Read also: Morocco’s Ismael Saibari Recommits to PSV Eindhoven Until 2028
