2021 AFCON: Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic calls up three more players to his squad for tournament

Published on: 29 December 2021

Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic has called up three more players to his squad for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

Al Ahly defender Badr Benoun, who led Morocco to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) title on home soil in in 2018, is joined by AS Far's Mohamed Chibi and UAE-based striker Soufiane Rahimi.

The trio were all part of the Morocco squad that reached the quarter-finals at the recent Arab Cup, where they lost on penalties to eventual winners Algeria.

The additions mean that Halilhodzic now has a 29-man squad which means one player will miss out on the final list for the finals which begin on 9 January.

There is speculation of whether 20-year-old Abde Ezzalzouli will accept the call-up for the tournament or stay at his Spanish club Barcelona, as he tries to secure a regular place in the team.

He has made eight appearances for the Spanish giants since his debut on 30 October against Alaves, his only goal so far came ina 2-2 draw at Osasuna.

Morocco begin their Group C campaign against Ghana on January 10 and then have further group games against the Comoros (January 14) and Gabon (January 18).

Revised Morocco squad for Afcon 2021

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Spain), Monir El Kajoui, (Hatayspor, Turkey), Anas Zniti (Raja Casablanca, Morocco).

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Sofiane Alakouch (Metz, France), Souffian El Karouani (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Adam Masina (Watford, England), Sofian Chakla (OH Leuven, Belgium), Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Romain Saiss (Wolves, England), Nayef Aguerd (Rennes, France), Badr Benoun (Al Ahly, Egypt), Mohamed Chibi (AS Far, Morocco).

Midfielders: Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, Italy), Faycal Fajr (Sivaspor, Turkey), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers, France), Ilias Chair (QPR, England), Imran Louza (Watford, England), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege, Belgium).

Forwards: Munir El Haddadi (Sevilla, Spain), Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Abde Ezzalzouli (Barcelona, Spain), Sofiane Boufal (Angers, France), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla, Spain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Hatayspor, Turkey), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain, UAE) .

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