Breaking: Hakim Ziyech retires from Morocco national team

Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech has announced his from the Atlas Lion of Morocco after being left out of the squad for the recent AFCON.

In September 2021, Ziyech was omitted from the national team squad due to a poor attitude, having previously refused to play, citing an injury. Manager Vahid Halilhodzic said “For the first time in my coaching career, I saw a national team player who doesn’t want to train and claims to be injured, although tests have shown he can play. I won’t tolerate it”

Morocco were crashed out of from the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in hands of their North African counterpart, Egypt at the knockout stage.

Born in the Netherlands into a Moroccan family, Ziyech was eligible to play for either Netherlands or Morocco national team at international level. He played for Dutch national youth teams, playing for the under-19’s, under-20’s and under-21’s. However, he opted to play for Morocco at senior level. He received his first call-up to the senior squad in May 2015, for friendly matches against the United States and Latvia.

Two days after the AFCON, Ziyech stated “I will not return to the Moroccan national team and this is my final decision.. I feel sad for sure, but the full focus is now with Chelsea.”

Since joining the national from 2015 to 2022, he was capped in 40 games and scored 17 goals.