Rabat – Former Morocco international Younes Belhanda has revealed that missing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was so painful that he deliberately avoided watching the Atlas Lions during the tournament.
Speaking on the Riolo Club program, Al-Sailiya SC midfielder said he had hoped to feature in the competition before bringing his international career to an end.
Belhanda said his exclusion from Walid Regragui’s final squad was particularly difficult to accept given their previous relationship, as Regragui had once worked with him as an assistant coach.
The 36-year-old said he had received a call-up shortly before the final squad was announced, making his eventual omission unexpected. He added that he would have understood the decision had Regragui personally explained his reasons.
According to Belhanda, the lack of communication was more painful than the decision itself.
“On the day the list was announced, I called him, and he didn’t answer. Just give me an explanation. You’re a man; you tell me: ‘Younes, I make choices.’ I’m not 15 years old. I was 32. I would have understood, and I would have gotten over it. But not a call, nothing! It was very painful. I couldn’t get over it,” Belhanda said.
The midfielder also revealed that he lost interest in Morocco’s national team and only resumed following them after Regragui’s departure. Concerning the historic achievement in Qatar 2022, the player said, “ I didn’t care. I didn’t even watch it.”
Belhanda’s international career
Born in Avignon, France, Belhanda earned 59 caps and scored five goals for Morocco between 2010 and 2022 after switching allegiance from France, where he had represented youth teams.
The playmaker made his international debut against Northern Ireland in November 2010. Known for his creativity, Belhanda became a game-changer in the Atlas Lions’ midfield for nearly a decade and appeared regularly across multiple Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaigns.
His international career reached its peak under coach Herve Renard, with nine appearances for Morocco in 2018.
He represented the Atlas Lions at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he started all three group-stage matches against Iran, Portugal, and Spain.
His final international appearance came in a friendly against Chile in September 2022.
At club level, Belhanda enjoyed a successful spell with Montpellier and helped the French side secure their first Ligue 1 title in 2012. He also won domestic league titles with Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine and Galatasaray in Turkey.
