Morocco's national football team coach Walid Regragui has made a significant change for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, excluding striker Youssef En-Nesyri from the squad. This decision marks a departure from the team that reached the semi-finals in Qatar 2022, where En-Nesyri scored a crucial goal against Portugal.
The new selection emphasizes technical players like Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and Bilal El Khannouss. Regragui aims to build a more possession-based and creative attack, moving away from the counter-attacking style that defined Morocco's historic 2022 run.
En-Nesyri, who plays for Fenerbahçe, has been a key figure for Morocco but struggled with consistency in recent matches. His absence opens opportunities for younger forwards such as Ayoub El Kaabi and Abde Ezzalzouli.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature an expanded 48-team format. Morocco is drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and New Zealand.
