Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech and former captain Medhi Benatia have been left out of Morocco’s squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon. The two were omitted by coach Vahid Halilodzic for the continental competition which is scheduled to begin on January 9. While Benatia’s omission may not be a huge surprise, Ziyech’s snub may come as a shock for many football fans in and out of Morocco. Halilodzic however included Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Wolves defender Romain Saiss, Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri, among other notable names. He has also given a debut call-up to Barcelona forward Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 25, 2021 05:07 UTC