Morocco will debut at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand having had a rapid rise in their fortunes after the last two years.
They have several players born in France and Spain, and a number who are new to the squad having only made their debuts this year. They are packed with potential, but inexperienced at this level.
GOALKEEPERS
KHADIJA ERRMICHI
The undisputed No 1 on the national team, the tall Errmichi has been a key part of their success in recent times and is a very competent player with the gloves. The 33-year-old has been with AS FAR since 2012 and helped them to Caf Women’s Champions League success in 2022. She also played a major role as Morocco reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. Incredibly, she has won 13 league titles with her various clubs.
INES AROUAISSA
Arouaissa was born in France and raised in Dijon but made her Morocco debut in 2021. She is one for the future and is earmarked as the natural successor to Errmichi. Still only 22, she came through the ranks at Marseille but currently plays for Cannes.
ASSIA ZOUHAIR
Another experienced goalkeeper but one not expected to get a run Down Under unless the first two choices are injured. She plays at home for Sporting Club Chabab Mohammédia, a famous old club in Morocco. She previously turned out for Chabab Atlas Khénifra.
DEFENDERS
HANANE AIT EL HAJ
The defender is a star for AS FAR and is another who has been key to both their recent success on the continent and Morocco’s run to the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations finals. The 28-year-old played all six games in the continental finals, not missing a minute for Morocco. She will likely start too Down Under.
NOUHAILA BENZINA
Benzina has been more of a backup in her time with the national team and has likely been taken to the World Cup to fulfill that role too. It would be a surprise if the 25-year-old were to jump up the pecking order having also not featured in recent friendlies. She won the Champions League with AS FAR last year.
NESRYNE EL CHAD
El Chad may be only 20 but she has become an important part of the Morocco side and was a top performer for them on the way to the silver medal in the Africa Cup of Nations last year. She has continued that form in the friendlies. Born in St Etienne, France, she plays her club football for Lille. She debuted for Morocco in 2021. She is known as a tough central defender and has been tipped as a future captain of the national team.
RKIA MAZROUAI
Born in Eindhoven, Mazrouai played junior international football for The Netherlands before switching to Morocco at Under-20 level in 2020, and making her senior team debut the next year. She came through the youth ranks at PSV before moving to Belgium with Gent and then current club Sporting Charleroi. The 21-year-old has yet to cement a place in the Morocco team and is likely to start the competition on the bench.
YASMIN MRABET
Mrabet can play as a centre-back or defensive midfielder, but it is likely she will be used at the back by coach Reynald Pedros. Born in Spain, she represented that country at junior level before switching to Morocco in 2021. The 23-year-old has been a key player since and, barring injury, will start at the World Cup. She played her club football for Madrid CFF, before switching to Rayo Vallecano and her current team Levante.
ZINEB REDOUANI
Another player who has been key for Morocco in recent times, the AS FAR defender is a shoo-in to start Down Under. The 23-year-old was named in the prestigious IFHHS Caf Women’s Team of the Year for 2022 after helping club and country to trophy success. She is physically imposing and reads the game with great intelligence.
SABAH SEGHIR
Defender/midfielder who was born in France but currently plays for second-tier Napoli in Italy on loan from Sampdoria. Like many in the squad, the 22-year-old made her debut for Morocco in June 2021. She is not a regular starter, but has played the full 90 minutes in both Morocco’s warm-up games, so she could play a big role Down Under.
MIDFIELDERS
GHIZLANE CHEBBAK
Another named in the IFHHS Caf Women’s Team of the Year for 2022, she is a nuggety midfielder and one of the most experienced players in the squad. She has great football intelligence and an excellent ’engine’ as she marshals the centre of the park. The 32-year-old has been a vital cog in the side in the last five or so years, when the rise in the team started, and was also a key part of the AS FAR team that won the Caf Women’s Champions League in 2022.
NAJAT BADRI
The oldest player in the squad at 35 years of age, Badri has been a mainstay of the AS Far side in recent years but has had less influence on the national team. The midfielder rarely starts and is sometimes used as a player off the bench, but is likely more in the squad for her experience and calming influence off the pitch.
ANISSA LAHMARI
Born in France, the 26-year-old is a product of the Paris St Germain academy and played extensively for the land of her birth at junior international level. She could have played for Algeria, but recently opted for Morocco, making her debut this year. Aside from PSG, she had a loan spell at Reading in England and currently features for Guingamp, who she joined in 2022. She has great pedigree and is a good addition to the squad but is also new to the environment.
SARAH KASSI
The only teenager in the squad, the 19-year-old is another born in France and who represented that country at junior international level. The tough-tackling midfielder made her Morocco debut against Italy this year and is unlikely to get a start off the bat Down Under, but could well have an influence on the team.
ELODIE NAKKACH
Another of the French-born contingent, Nakkach has been a big player for Morocco in the last five or so years and was crucial in their run to the Africa Cup of Nations final. She had played exclusively in France until joining Swiss side Servette in 2021. The 28-year-old is a likely starter at the World Cup as one of the more experienced players in the national team.
FORWARDS
SALMA AMANI
A hugely experienced player who has enjoyed an almost 20-year career in club football and the last 11 as an international player for Morocco. She is only 33, so started young, but has built up an impressive career, mostly with Guingamp in France, where she was born. She currently plays for Metz. She does not start every game for Morocco but is widely used.
ROSELLA AYANE
Playmaker Rosella Ayane was born in England to a Moroccan father and Scottish mother, and currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur, having come through the development ranks at Chelsea, where she was ultimately released after a handful of first-team games. The 27-year-old is the creative focal point of the Moroccan side, having made her debut in 2021, and much of their attacking play will run through her. She is also a threat in front of goal.
SOFIA BOUFTINI
The attacking midfielder was a junior international with Morocco before graduating to the senior side in 2022. Still only 21, she is at the beginning of her career, and is mostly used as a bench option. She did not, for instance, play a single minute of the Africa Cup of Nations last year despite being on the sub list for every game. She moved last year from AS FAR to RS Berkane, where she now plays her club football.
KENZA CHAPELLE
Chapelle was born in France and played extensive junior football for that country before making the switch to Morocco earlier this year, the lure of a World Cup too great. The 20-year-old made her debut in the 0-0 draw with Italy and will likely be a peripheral figure Down Under, but certainly a potential big player for Morocco in the future.
FATIMA GHARBI
Another player who only debuted for Morocco this year, the striker was born in Morocco but has spent most of her life in Spain, where she came through the junior ranks at several clubs. She was at Espanyol B, but signed for CE Europa in 2021 and has been a regular player for them. At just 22, she is another one for the future having so far played only 15 minutes for the team in a friendly with Italy.
IBTISSAM JRAIDI
An experienced striker who is used mostly as a bench option by Morocco, though despite this she was named in the IFHHS CAF Women’s Team of the Year for 2022. She had been influential for club side AS FAR but has since moved to Saudi Arabia where she plays for Al-Ahli Saudi. She is unlikely to be a starter at the World Cup.
SAKINA OUZRAOUI DIKI
A young forward born in Barcelona, Spain, but who has spent the last five years playing in Belgium, where she has recently joined Anderlecht. She was a Belgium junior international but switched to Morocco when the senior team came calling in 2022. The 21-year-old started both Morocco‘s friendlies this month against Italy and Switzerland.
FATIMA TAGNAOUT
Tagnaout is only 24 but is experienced in the national team and is likely to feature heavily at the World Cup. She has been a regular starter for some years now and has great skill on the ball, bringing a creativity to the team. The 24-year-old plays for AS FAR and was named in the IFHHS CAF Women’s Team of the Year for 2022.