Morocco have been dealt a significant ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against France, with star forward Ismael Saibari ruled out of the blockbuster clash due to a hamstring injury.
Saibari picked up the injury during Morocco’s Round of 16 victory over Canada after appearing to be in discomfort. The 25-year-old was substituted just 22 minutes into the match and subsequently underwent medical tests to determine the extent of the injury.
Speaking ahead of the quarterfinal, Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed that Saibari will not be available against France. “Everyone’s available, except Saibari, with the match coming too early for him,” Ouahbi told reporters during the pre-match press conference. “Although he’s not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope.”
The coach added that only fully fit players would be considered for selection. “Everyone’s available, although we of course will only select the players who are at 100%.”
Saibari has been one of Morocco’s standout performers at the FIFA World Cup 2026. He scored in each of the Atlas Lions’ three group-stage matches against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti, helping his side qualify for the knockout rounds.
He also converted the decisive penalty in Morocco’s Round of 32 shootout victory over the Netherlands, further underlining his importance to the team.
With Saibari unavailable, Soufiane Rahimi is expected to lead Morocco’s attack against France after replacing the injured forward during the win over Canada.
Ouahbi expressed confidence in the depth of his squad, saying every player has an important role to play during the tournament. “When you want to go very far in a competition, you need everybody, and the players who cannot be in the starting 11 know that they have the opportunity to finish the match.
“We have starters, and then when others are subbed in, they can make a difference on the pitch for us. That is a positive for the group, and it’s something that gives us a lot of confidence.”
There was, however, positive news for Morocco as defender Chadi Riad, who missed the Canada game through injury, is expected to return for the quarterfinal.
Morocco will now face tournament favourites France in the last-eight clash, hoping to keep their World Cup campaign alive despite the absence of one of their most influential attacking players.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.
