Wahbi's Bold Reset for Morocco After World Cup Exit
The World Cup is barely in the rear-view mirror, yet Morocco are already bracing for a storm of change. Mohamed Wahbi, backed to stay on as head coach after the 2026 campaign, is wasting no time reshaping the Atlas Lions in his image.
Quarter-finalists in a tournament staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Morocco bowed out with a 2-0 defeat to France. Respectable, yes. Enough to stand still? Not in Wahbi’s eyes.
He has gone back over every decision, every line-up, every substitution from the World Cup. The conclusion is clear: the squad needs renewing, and the bench needs sharpening.
Six World Cup Faces Set to Fall
According to Moroccan outlet Sport7, Wahbi has already drawn a hard line through six names from his World Cup group ahead of the September international break.
- Ayoub El Kaabi
- Sofyan Amrabat
- Amine Sbai
- Youssef Belammari
- Marwan Saadane
- Goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi
are all expected to be omitted from the next squad. Players who carried the shirt on the biggest stage now find themselves on the outside, victims of a manager determined to refresh, not recycle.
And the cuts may not stop there. The same report indicates that Halhal and Amimoni are also at risk of dropping out as Wahbi presses ahead with a broader restructuring.
This is not a cosmetic tweak. It is a clear signal that past service, even at a World Cup, no longer guarantees a place in Morocco’s future.
Fresh Blood, New Ideas
The response from Wahbi is not just to clear space. He plans to fill it.
During the international camp scheduled for the end of September, the coach is set to call up a number of new faces, using the window as a live laboratory for his next cycle. He wants different profiles, more variety, and greater impact from those waiting on the sidelines.
The aim is simple and ruthless: upgrade the national team’s tactical options and raise the overall quality before the next wave of competitive fixtures hits.
Morocco have chosen continuity on the touchline but revolution in the dressing room. Now the question hangs over the coming months: who will seize this opening and become the new spine of Wahbi’s Atlas Lions?
