Morocco: Sofyan Amrabat steps back as long as Mohamed Ouahbi remains coach

Sofyan Amrabat announced on Tuesday, September 8, that he would make himself unavailable for the Moroccan national team as long as Mohamed Ouahbi remains in charge of the Atlas Lions. The 30-year-old midfielder, recently signed by Ajax Amsterdam, nevertheless assures that he is not ending his international career.

In a message posted on Instagram and reported by Reuters and L’Équipe, the player explains that the decision was difficult to make. He states that he no longer feels able to represent Morocco under the current coach’s leadership, while choosing to keep the reasons for this break private.

Amrabat clarifies that he is not closing the door on a return to the national team. His decision comes after the 2026 World Cup, where his playing time significantly decreased: Reuters notes that he started only one of the six matches played by Morocco, which was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals, while L’Équipe states that he participated in three matches in total.

The defensive midfielder remains one of the faces of the Moroccan generation that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. L’Équipe credits him with 78 caps for the Atlas Lions. Since then, competition in midfield has intensified, notably with the emergence of Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Mohamed Ouahbi succeeded Walid Regragui in March 2026. The coach must now prepare Morocco’s first matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, starting with the home game against Gabon on September 25, followed by an away match against Lesotho, scheduled four days later in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

A step back, not an international retirement

Amrabat’s message clearly distinguishes his current decision from an international retirement. The player says he remains attached to the national team and assures that he will continue to support his teammates during his absence. He thus leaves open the possibility of a return if the situation at the head of the team changes.

This statement comes a few days after his arrival at Ajax Amsterdam. The Dutch club officially announced on August 30 the signing of the Moroccan as a free agent, with a contract running until June 30, 2028, following the end of his commitment with Fenerbahçe.

A file to manage before the qualifiers

For the Moroccan staff, the announcement comes less than three weeks before the start of the qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations. Morocco is in a group where it must first host Gabon before facing Lesotho on neutral ground in South Africa.

Ouahbi will therefore have to manage without one of the most experienced players in the group during this first window. The next Moroccan squad list will allow an assessment of the coach’s choices in midfield ahead of the matches on September 25 and 29.