Ziyech heads Morocco's World Cup 2022 squad

Morocco will be making their sixth appearance at the World Cup in Qatar.

They qualified for the first time in 1970 and enjoyed their best-ever performance on their second appearance in 1986, when they made it to the round of 16.

Can they improve on that finish this time around?

It's fair to say that will not be an easy task as they have been drawn in Group F alongside Belgium, Canada, and Croatia, meaning they face two of the semi-finalists from 2018.

Head coach Walid Regragui will be optimistic about his side's chances, though, as he can count on some world-class talent.

Check out Morocco's full 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar below.

GOALKEEPERS

Yassine Bounou is the undisputed number one for Morocco, having played every match in the World Cup qualification campaign and also being first choice at Sevilla.

The 33-year-old Munir Mohamedi is another experienced candidate and can slot in between the sticks if Bounou has fitness issues.

Ahmed Rega Tagnaouti will also join the squad to serve as a backup in Qatar.

DEFENDERS

Regragui likes to stick to a traditional back-four while setting up his backline.

With Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui in the ranks, there is little to worry about the full-back positions. Meanwhile, Romain Saiss and Achraf Dari are the two most used centre-backs.

West Ham's Nayef Aguerd and Valladolid's Jawad El Yamiq are the other options at the heart of defence.

MIDFIELDERS

Regragui is known to experiment with his midfield. Sometimes he chooses to field a three-man line, while on other occasions there might be a bit of overload at the centre of the park with five bodies.

In both cases, there's one player whose role remains constant and that is Sofyan Amrabat. The Fiorentina player is known to be a solid defensive midfielder and enjoys the coach's unabated trust.

Azzedine Ounahi, Selim Amallah, and QPR's Ilias Chair have also made the final cut.

ATTACKERS

Hakim Ziyech, Sofiane Boufal, and Youssef En-Nesyri are the main men in a front three.

Chelsea star Ziyech, who reversed his international retirement to return under new boss Regragui, operates mainly on the right flank whereas Boufal takes his position on the left, with En-Nesyri as the target man.

There are other exciting talents as well in Zakaria Aboukhlal and Amine Harit of Marseille, but there is no place for former Premier League star Adel Taraabt, who moved to Al-Nasr in the summer. Ex-Barcelona starlet Munir El Haddadi has also been omitted, despite the 27-year-old's status as a regular for Getafe in La Liga.

Perhaps the most surprise inclusion in the squad is Ittihad forward Abderrazak Hamdallah, nicknamed 'The Executioner' by Morocco fans, who is back with the national team after a lengthy absence.

STRONGEST XI

Morocco will most likely set themselves up in a 4-3-3 formation.

Bounou should start between the sticks. He will be shielded by a back-four which is most likely to be comprised of Hakimi at right-back, skipper Saiss and Dari at the heart of defence and Mazraoui on the left.

Amrabat, Sabiri and Chair are likely to form the three-man midfield, with En-Nesyri expected to lead the line with Ziyech and Boufal at the right and left flanks respectively.

Morocco XI (4-3-3): Bounou; Hakimi, Saiss, Dari, Mazraoui; Amrabat, Belhanda, Chair; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal

By Soham Mukherjee