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Goalkeepers
|
|
Player
|
Team, Age, Caps
|
|
Abdelkader El Brazi
|
(Royal Armed Forces), 33, 36 caps.
|
|
First
choice goalkeeper but may be facing the chop after a
disappointing African Nations Cup finals. A reserve at the last
World Cup.
|
| |
|
Driss Asmar
|
(El Jaddida), age 22, 1 cap.
|
|
Young goalkeeper
who made his international debut in January and might gain a
place as the third-choice goalkeeper in the World Cup squad.
|
| |
|
Driss Benzerki
|
(RS Settat), 27, 5 caps.
|
|
Made his debut in
coach Henri Michel's first match in charge in 1995 but has seen
only limited action since.
|
| |
|
Defenders
|
|
Player
|
Team, Age, Caps
|
|
Lahcen Abrami
|
(Wydad Casablanca), 28, 40 caps.
|
|
Busy defender
whose overlapping play and aggressive running was one of
Morocco's few highlights at February's African Nations Cup
finals in Burkina Faso.
|
| |
|
Abdelkrim El Hadrioui
|
(Benfica, Portugal), 25, 57 caps.
|
|
Another overlapping full-back who won numerous domestic honours
at Royal Armed Forces before leaving for Portugal.
|
| |
|
Taher El Khalej
|
(Benfica, Portugal), 29 (30 on June 16), 54 caps.
|
|
Played at the last World Cup finals in the U.S. but is now
used as cover by coach Michel. Has a dangerous shot from
long-range and is a set-piece specialist.
|
| |
|
Mustapha Khalif
|
(Raja Casablanca), 33, 16 caps.
|
|
Captained
his club to victory in the African Champions League in December
but is not expected to be in the starting line-up in France.
|
| |
|
Noureddine Naybet
|
(Deportivo Coruna, Spain), 28, 91 caps.
|
|
Morocco's captain is an accomplished sweeper as he has proved in
a league career in France, Portugal and now Spain. Another of
the players who returns to the World Cup after the disappointing
performance in the U.S. in 1994.
|
| |
|
Rachid Neqrouz
|
(Bari, Italy), 26, 12 caps.
|
|
Tough defender
who is the second Moroccan to play in Serie A after moving from
Switzerland. Missed the African Nations Cup finals but is now
back in favour.
|
| |
|
Youssef Rossi
|
(Rennes, France), 24 (25 on June 28), 18 caps.
|
|
Tough-tackling central defender who has recovered from injury
suffered during the Nations Cup in Burkina Faso. One of the new
crop of players unearthed by Michel.
|
| |
|
Abdelilah Saber
|
(Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), 27 (28 on June 11), 23 caps.
|
|
Has now spent one season in Portugal after
transferring from Wydad Casablanca. He will battle with Abrami
for the right-back berth.
|
| |
|
Smahi Triki
|
(Lausanne, Switzerland), 30, 15 caps.
|
|
Was
discovered playing in the French second division with
Chateauroux before the last World Cup and drafted into the squad
for the finals in the U.S. Has battled to keep a place in the
starting line-up since.
|
| |
|
Midfielders
|
|
Player
|
Team, Age, Caps
|
|
Rachid Azzouzi
|
(Greuth Furth, Germany), 27, 34 caps.
|
|
Defensive midfielder for the team who anchors the side. Raised
in Germany where he has played all but one season of his
professional career in the second division.
|
| |
|
Mourad Bounoua
|
(Kickers Stuttgart, Germany), 25, 1 cap.
|
|
Just
called up to the Moroccan squad after a first season in the
German second division, where he has scored twice in 24 games.
Previously played in Switzerland for FC Basle.
|
| |
|
Said Chiba
|
(Compostela, Spain), 27, 21 caps.
|
|
A lack of match
practice in Spain has seen the elegant midfielder threaten to
leave his club. But his place in the Moroccan squad is not
threatened.
|
| |
|
Youssef Chippo
|
(Porto, Portugal), 24 (25 on May 10), 18 caps.
|
|
Another classy midfielder who has risen to prominence in
the World Cup qualifiers. Joined the Portuguese champions from a
club in the Middle East last summer.
|
| |
|
Mustapha Hadji
|
(Deportivo Coruna, Spain), 26, 42 caps.
|
|
Made
a choice between Morocco and the French under-21 team five years
ago and has gone onto become the playmaker for his country.
Hails from Nancy in France where he spent eight seasons.
|
| |
|
Abdellatif Jrindou
|
(Raja Casablanca), 23, 15 caps.
|
|
Tall and
impressive-looking defensive player who might catch the eye of
foreign scouts if he gets a chance to play in the World Cup
finals. Helped his club win last year's African Champions
League.
|
| |
|
Karim Mgoghi
|
(Strasbourg, France), 27, 2 caps.
|
|
Belgian-born
midfielder who made his debut against Brazil last year but might
struggle to make the team after missing out on the African
Nations Cup finals.
|
| |
|
Forwards
|
|
Player
|
Team, Age, Caps
|
|
Ahmed Bahja
|
(Al Ittihad), 27, 20 caps.
|
|
Deceptively clumsy-looking
player but with terrific skill. Plays club soccer in Saudi
Arabia where he has been one of the top earners in the local
league.
|
| |
|
Salaheddine Bassir
|
(Deportivo Coruna, Spain), 25, 24 caps.
|
|
Has scored 12 goals for his country but was injured in February
and is battling to get fit in time for France. Joined the
Spanish club in the summer from Saudi champions Al Hilal.
|
| |
|
Ali El Khattabi
|
(Heerenveen, Netherlands), 21, 5 caps.
|
|
Dutch-born striker who was called up for the first time after
the World Cup qualifiers had been completed. One of a growing
number of European-born children of the Moroccan Diaspora.
|
| |
|
Youssef Fertout
|
(Belenenses, Portugal), 27 (28 on July 7), 36 caps.
|
|
Was far from impressive in the African Nations Cup
finals and will have to work hard in the upcoming World Cup
warm-up matches to make the squad for France.
|
| |
|
Abdeljalil Hadda
|
(Belenenses, Portugal), 27 (28 on July 7), 36 caps.
|
|
Was far from impressive in the African Nations Cup
finals and will have to work hard in the upcoming World Cup
warm-up matches to make the squad for France.
|
| |
|
Abdeljalil Hadda
|
(Club Africain, Tunisia), 26, 10 caps.
|
|
Plays in Tunisia and is nicknamed Camacho. Has been a squad
member but is not likely to see much regular action in France.
|
| |
|
Abderrahim Ouakili
|
(TSV 1860 Munich, Germany), 27, 7 caps.
|
|
Recently-discovered talent who could well be in the starting
line-up after some recent impressive performances in the
Bundesliga. Joined 1860 Munich from second division Mainz in
December.
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