Moroccan striker Hakim Ziyech announced that he would not return to playing with the Moroccan national team, and this decision came after months of disputes with the coach of the "Atlas Lions" team, Vahid Halilhodzic.
Ziyech made statements - while he was with his Chelsea team in Abu Dhabi to participate in the Club World Cup - and told Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, "I will not return to the national team. This is my final decision. Everything is clear to me."
"I feel sad for sure. I understand the Moroccan fans, but I know how things are managed in the national team, and this is my final decision. Now I focus on (playing with) my team."
Hakim Ziyech: I will not return to the Moroccan national team, and this is my final decision.
- Abu Dhabi Sports Channel (@ADSportsTV) February 8, 2022
Halilhodzic excluded Ziyech from the list of the Moroccan national team during the past months, and the Bosnian coach justified his decision with disciplinary reasons.
Ziyech, 28, played 40 international matches with the Atlas Lions and scored 17 goals, and he is one of the most prominent Moroccan players in Europe, along with Paris Saint-Germain defender Ashraf Hakimi, and Seville duo Yassine Bounou and Youssef Al-Nusairi.