New Morocco head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has named 46 players in his first squad for their training camp in September, where they are expected to face Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Bosnian manager’s appointment was confirmed on Thursday by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, as he replaced Herve Renard who left in July after a below-par Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The Atlas Lions were eliminated by Benin in the Round of 16, which was disappointing for fans that billed them as pre-tournament favourites.
Halilhodzic’s first squad includes regulars like Hakim Ziyech, Mehdi Benatia, Romain Saiss and Nordin Amrabat, while Manchester City youngster Nail Touaizi was among the plethora of players invited as the new coach seeks to assess a large squad.
Injured Zamalek forward Khalid Boutaib hasn’t been left out regardless of his current status, as well as Al Ahly’s Walid Azarou. Schalke midfielder Amine Harit will also join up with the national team next month after his inclusion.
Halilhodzic has been tasked with taking the North African nation to the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar. They failed to make it out of the group stage in the 2018 edition in Russia.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir Mohanad, Anas Zniti, Ahmed Tagnaouti.
Defenders: Nabil Dirar, Omar Boutayeb, Mohamed Nahiri, Fouad Chafik, Essam Chebake, Mehdi Benatia, Badr Benoun, Jawad El Yamiq, Marouane Da Costa, Romain Saiss, Nayef Aguerd, Yunis Abdelhamid, Zouhair Feddal, Saad Lagrou, Abdelkarim Baadi, OUALID El Hajjam.
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Nordin Amrabat, Karim Al Ahmadi, Youssef Ait Bennasser, Yahya Jabrane, Mehdi Bourabia, Anuar Tuhami, Faycal Fajr Mehdi Oubilla, Walid El Karti, Mbark Boussoufa, Younes Belhanda, Hakim Ziyech, Adel Taarabt, Amine Harit, Soufiane Boufal, Mohamed Ihattaren, Mehdi Carcela, Oussama Idrissi, Ismail El Haddad.
Forwards: Rachid Aliouli, Walid Azarou, Ayoub el Kaabi, Nabil Touaizi, Khales Boutaib, Achraf Bencharki.
