There are several notable names missing from the 2026 World Cup, and Morocco is leaving out one of its biggest stars in Youssef En-Nesyri.
The reason En-Nesyri is not in the competition is that the manager did not call him up for technical reasons. While injuries can often play a role at this stage of the year, that was not the case for the forward.
When Morocco learned that Walid Regragui was stepping down from his position in March, the federation turned to Mohamed Ouahbi. The new manager decided to go with a younger group, which left En-Nesyri off the list.
En-Nesyri’s club career
While leaving En-Nesyri out of the Morocco squad was a big decision, his club career has not included many of the biggest names in world football. Most of his résumé has been built in Spain, where he spent the bulk of his career.
Sevilla was his best club (Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
He began his career at Málaga before moving to Leganés to build his name. His best years came at Sevilla, where he played 196 matches and scored 73 goals during a golden period for the club.
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It was in the last few years that the forward moved away from the most competitive leagues in the world when he joined Galatasaray in 2024. Earlier this year, he joined Al Ittihad, but his performances there were not enough to convince the manager.
En-Nesyri’s career with Morocco
What made En-Nesyri’s omission even more notable was his record with Morocco. Even if his club form has not been at its best lately, he has scored 25 goals in 92 matches for his country. His biggest moment came in Qatar, when he scored the winning goal against Portugal in the quarterfinals during Morocco’s run to the semifinals.
