The Bosnian-French coach, Wahid Khalilodjic, said: “It took my pride away”, after being sacked as manager of the Moroccan national team this summer and stripped of his leadership at the 2022 World Cup, where the I lions of the Atlas shone.
“They took away my pride. I can’t forget it and I can’t forgive them. Because that (the World Cup) should have been the end of my coaching career too,” said Halilodjic, 70. Croatian news site Teportal.HR.
The Moroccan national team, led by compatriot Walid Rekraki, Khalifa Haliludjic performed well at the World Cup in Qatar reaching the round of 16 for the first time in its history and in the history of Arab and African football. the final.
Morocco finished the World Cup in fourth place after losing to Croatia (1-2), who were the first team they faced in the group stage when they drew in a goalless draw.
Halilodjic confirmed that even the tribute paid by his successor to his right “has not healed his bitterness or compensated for his deprivation of being at the World Cup”.
The former Paris Saint-Germain manager, who took over the technical direction of the Atlas Lions in 2019, was sacked from his post in late August over his insistence on continuing to exclude Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech from the national team a cause of “disciplinary discipline”. problems.”
At the time, the Moroccan federation hinted at an “amicable” separation due to “differences of opinion on the readiness of the Atlas Lions”.
Ziyash performed tremendously in the Qatar World Cup and played an important role in Atlas Lions reaching the semi-finals, opening the score in the match against Canada (2-1) in the third and final round of the group stage , contributing to reaching the final price for the second time in its history after the first in 1986 in Mexico.
Ziyash also scored the second penalty kick against Spain in the final price (3-0 on penalties, 0-0 in opening and overtime) and took Morocco to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
Ziyash, 29, was one of Khalilodjic’s “unwelcome” elements, which is why he announced his retirement from the national team.
Khalilodjic has paid the price for his intransigence by dismissing him, despite the demand from Moroccan fans that his experience, talent and performances need to be used in light of the lack of creativity in the ‘Atlas Lions’ midfield, especially after the humiliating defeat against the United States in three clear and friendlies last June.
Khalilodjic, who accused Ziyash of not being able to “trust and of creating problems” within the team, has entered a war of statements against the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fawzi Lakjaa, who wanted to meet him and stress that the differences be set aside for the benefit of the team, to no avail.
