Royal Moroccan Football Federation Rejects Betis' Request for Abde Ezzalzouli
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has drawn a clear line in the sand over Abde Ezzalzouli – and Real Betis are on the wrong side of it.
According to Moroccan outlet "Le360 Sport", the federation has rejected a formal request from the Spanish club to excuse the winger from Mohamed Ouahbi’s latest Morocco squad, ahead of the September international break and the qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho.
Betis had pushed for a waiver that would have allowed Ezzalzouli to skip the national team camp. The idea was simple: keep him in Spain, avoid the long trip to South Africa, and have him fresh for club duties while Morocco head south to prepare for their clash with Lesotho in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
The answer from Rabat was blunt. No.
Federation stands firm
If there was any room for negotiation, it vanished the moment Ezzalzouli stepped onto the pitch for Betis against Villarreal. His involvement in that match only strengthened the federation’s stance. From their perspective, if he is fit enough to play in La Liga, he is fit enough to report for international duty.
The federation has made it clear: there is no injury, no fitness issue, nothing in his current condition that justifies keeping him away from Ouahbi’s camp. As long as that remains the case, they see no reason for him to miss Morocco’s fixtures.
For them, the logic is straightforward. Club minutes are proof of readiness. And proof carries more weight than any club request.
High‑stakes September for Morocco
Morocco face Gabon on 25 September and Lesotho on 29 September, both matches counting towards qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals. These are not gentle friendlies or experimental run-outs. They matter.
Ouahbi is still shaping his project, and these games form part of a wider build-up to the challenges ahead. The coach is expected to announce his 23-man squad for the September camp next Thursday, a list that will inevitably trigger debate.
Some of the players who were part of Morocco’s last World Cup adventure could find themselves on the outside this time. Competition for places is fierce, and the coming window feels like a checkpoint in the evolution of this team.
Ezzalzouli, though, stands in a strong position. The federation has already batted away Betis’s attempt to keep him, and his recent minutes with the Spanish club only reinforce the technical staff’s argument for bringing him in.
The message is unmistakable: if Abde is playing for Betis, Morocco expect him to play for the Atlas Lions. And with AFCON 2027 qualifying already shaping the future, how long can any club afford to fight that tide?
