RABAT, Morocco — August 28, 2026 — Morocco’s national team enters the post-World Cup period with several important fitness questions still surrounding key players. While most of the Atlas Lions’ squad has returned to club football, a handful of internationals remain under medical supervision or are working their way back from significant injuries.
Here is the latest injury tracker for Morocco’s senior national team.
Chadi Riad — ACL injury
Status: Out
Expected return: No confirmed date
Morocco defender Chadi Riad has suffered another serious setback after sustaining an ACL injury with Crystal Palace at the start of the 2026–27 Premier League season.
The injury was reported on August 28 and is expected to rule the centre-back out for a significant portion of the season. The precise recovery timetable has not yet been officially confirmed, meaning there is currently no reliable date for his return to competitive action.
Riad’s latest setback is particularly frustrating given his previous lengthy injury absence. His recovery will be closely monitored by both Crystal Palace and Morocco ahead of future international camps.
Nayef Aguerd — Long-term recovery
Status: Recovering
Expected return: Not officially confirmed
Nayef Aguerd remains another major defensive concern for Morocco.
The centre-back underwent surgery on a pubic injury in March and consequently missed the 2026 World Cup. In August, Aguerd explained that he had opted for a gradual return rather than rushing back to competitive football.
His proposed move from Marseille to Real Sociedad also collapsed after discussions over his fitness and the need for a progressive comeback. Reports indicate that Aguerd had passed his medical assessment but wanted additional time to regain full match fitness.
For Morocco, that means Aguerd’s availability for the next international window remains dependent on his progress at club level.
Ismael Saibari — Hamstring/muscle injury
Status: Back in training and available
Return: August 2026
Saibari was one of Morocco’s biggest injury concerns during the World Cup after suffering a thigh/hamstring problem in the round-of-16 victory over Canada.
The injury forced him out of Morocco’s quarter-final against France. At the time, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said Saibari was not ready for the match but hoped the injury would not end his tournament.
Following the World Cup, Bayern Munich placed the Moroccan international on a rehabilitation program. By early August, Saibari had resumed individual training, and later reports confirmed his progress toward a full return.
The latest positive sign came when Saibari featured for Bayern during their pre-season preparations and subsequently made his competitive debut, indicating that the World Cup injury is no longer keeping him out.
Verdict: Recovered.
Abdessamad Ezzalzouli — Knee injury
Status: Recovering/returned to group training
Return: Expected around the start of the 2026–27 season
Ezzalzouli missed Morocco’s 2026 World Cup after suffering a right-knee sprain accompanied by a high-grade injury to the medial collateral ligament.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation confirmed before the tournament that the injury was serious enough to prevent him from participating in the World Cup.
The winger subsequently made significant progress at Real Betis. On August 11, reports confirmed that he had been cleared to return to group training after completing an individual rehabilitation program.
That development puts Ezzalzouli on course to return to competitive football around the beginning of the new club season, subject to his response to training.
Verdict: Returning and nearing full fitness.
World Cup injury casualties: Aguerd and Ezzalzouli
Before the World Cup, Morocco were forced into two injury-related squad changes. Aguerd and Ezzalzouli were both withdrawn from the final tournament squad, with Amine Sbaï and Marouane Saadane called in as replacements.
The pair therefore remain important names on Morocco’s wider injury watchlist, although their situations are very different: Ezzalzouli has already resumed group training, while Aguerd’s return to competitive football remains less certain.
Morocco injury tracker
| Player | Injury | Current status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chadi Riad | ACL | Out | No date confirmed |
| Nayef Aguerd | Pubic injury/surgery recovery | Recovering | No date confirmed |
| Ismael Saibari | Thigh/hamstring | Returned | August 2026 |
| Abdessamad Ezzalzouli | Right knee/MCL | Group training | Around start of 2026–27 season |
What it means for Morocco
The good news for coach Mohamed Ouahbi is that Morocco’s most recent major attacking injury, Saibari’s World Cup muscle problem, has progressed to the point where he is back playing.
Ezzalzouli’s return to group training is another encouraging development, particularly given that he missed the entire World Cup.
The biggest concern now is in defence. Riad’s new ACL injury could keep him unavailable for a substantial period, while Aguerd is still attempting to build his fitness following surgery.
Morocco therefore enters the next stage of the international cycle with a largely healthy core but with several important defensive options still requiring careful monitoring.
Latest verdict
FIT: Ismael Saibari
NEARING RETURN: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli
RECOVERING: Nayef Aguerd
LONG-TERM ABSENCE: Chadi Riad
Return dates are subject to medical assessments and can change. Where clubs or the Moroccan federation have not announced a definitive date, no precise comeback date should be treated as confirmed.
