Morocco have been dealt a major setback on the eve of the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico after Ez Abde was officially ruled out of the tournament with a right knee ligament sprain.
The injury, sustained during a friendly against Norway, initially raised hopes that the Real Betis winger could recover in time for the knockout stages. However, medical assessments conducted on Thursday confirmed a recovery timeline of four to six weeks, leaving him no chance of featuring in the competition.
Abde’s withdrawal adds to Morocco’s growing injury concerns, with defender Nayef Aguerd also previously ruled out. The double absence forces head coach Walid Regragui to rethink his tactical plans ahead of the team’s Group B opener against Brazil on Saturday.
In response, Morocco have moved quickly to strengthen their squad, calling up Angers forward Amine Sbai and Al Fateh defender-midfielder Marwane Saadane as replacements.
The loss of Abde is a particularly heavy blow for the Atlas Lions. The winger had enjoyed a strong season with Real Betis and was widely viewed as one of Morocco’s most promising attacking options heading into the tournament. His absence leaves a noticeable gap in both creativity and attacking depth as Morocco prepare for their opening challenge.