Rabat – Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech has opened up about his brief spell with Wydad Athletic Club, insisting that financial considerations were not behind his decision to return to Moroccan football.
Speaking to Africa Foot following his move to Brazilian side Botafogo, Ziyech said joining Wydad was a deliberate choice motivated by personal and sporting reasons.
“Returning to Morocco and playing for Wydad was a decision I made with great conviction,” Ziyech said. “I didn’t return to my country for money. I wanted to be close to my family and to play in front of Moroccan supporters.”
The 33-year-old nevertheless acknowledged that his situation at the Casablanca club changed over time.
“Football is not based on emotions alone,” the player said. “After a certain period, some things changed within the club, and differences emerged between us over several details, particularly working conditions and the financial side.”
Ziyech said those disagreements eventually convinced both parties that ending their relationship was the best solution.
“At a certain point, I felt things were no longer going the way I had imagined, so we decided to separate by mutual consent,” he added.
Wydad spell ends by mutual agreement
Wydad officially announced on September 6 that the club and Ziyech had agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
The club did not publicly disclose the reasons behind the separation, thanking the player for his time in Casablanca and saying he would remain part of the Wydad family.
Reports in the weeks before his departure had pointed to disagreements over his salary and working conditions.
Wydad’s new management had sought to renegotiate his wages as part of efforts to reduce the club’s financial burden.
Ziyech made 16 appearances for Wydad, scoring nine goals and providing two assists before his departure.
The Moroccan made clear that the circumstances surrounding his exit had not changed his feelings toward the club or its supporters.
“I didn’t leave Morocco because I didn’t want to play there,” he said. “On the contrary, this experience was important to me, and I have a lot of respect for Wydad and its fans.”
Ziyech has since begun a new chapter in Brazil. Botafogo officially confirmed his signing on September 10 after he passed his medical examinations, with the attacking midfielder putting pen to paper on a contract running until the end of 2028.
“At this stage of my career, I felt I needed a new challenge,” Ziyech concluded, “in an environment where I can focus only on football.”
