Sofyan Amrabat makes himself unavailable for Morocco under current coach
Sofyan Amrabat says he will not accept Morocco selection under coach Mohamed Ouahbi, but has not retired from international football.
Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has made himself unavailable for international selection while Mohamed Ouahbi remains head coach, but says he has not retired from national-team football.
Amrabat announced the decision ahead of Morocco's opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month. He did not give detailed reasons for the move and said he preferred to keep them private.
The 30-year-old said he was not closing the door on playing for Morocco again. His position means he will not be available for the current coach's selections unless circumstances change.
Amrabat had limited playing time at the recent World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, starting one of Morocco's six matches before the team was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. Manchester City midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has also emerged as an option in central midfield.
The Dutch-born player recently joined Ajax Amsterdam. He was a central figure in the Morocco side that reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals under Walid Regragui, whom Ouahbi replaced in March.
Morocco are due to host Gabon in their first Group A qualifier on 25 September. They then face Lesotho in Bloemfontein on 29 September, giving the qualifying campaign a direct South African connection.