Hakim Ziyech, Morocco’s unlikely hero
NEW DELHI: Many unlikely Moroccan heroes emerged within the cavernous confines of the Education City Stadium in Doha on Tuesday night.
Whether it is goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s heroics in the penalty shootout, Sofyan Amrabat straining every sinew to track the Spaniards in the middle of the park or right-back Achraf Hakimi’s ice-cool temperament to deliver a Panenka at the end, they all played a part in thwarting a Spanish team that had 76.8% of the possession.
But the unlikeliest hero of Morocco’s campaign so far is arguably Hakim Ziyech, running the show in attack and playing an instrumental role in the African country reaching the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history.
Unlikeliest not because of any want of ability on Ziyech’s part; he, in fact, possesses an array of dribbling skills and a magic wand of a left foot, often cutting in from the right wing to hurt opponents. But because the 29-year-old was never supposed to be in Qatar with his Moroccan mates.
Ziyech had announced his international retirement in February this year and played no part in their World Cup qualification campaign. The trouble began in September 2021 when
Vahid Halilhodzic, Morocco’s Bosnian coach at the time, dropped Ziyech from the squad on disciplinary grounds, accusing the winger of feigning an injury and refusing to play. The tension continued to simmer as Ziyech was left out of the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in January this year. Even when Morocco bowed out of the continental event after a loss to Egypt in the quarter-finals, Halilhodzic did not budge from his stance.
“The players I have selected are the best in the country,” Halilhodzic had said in a press conference. “I don’t select a player who can unbalance the group. Not even if his name is Lionel Messi.”
If Moroccan fans are now singing his name at the stadium and dancing to his moves on the pitch, it is down to Walid Regragui’s appointment as head coach in September. After Halilhodzic was sacked by the Moroccan federation in August owing to disagreements with the president, Regragui came in and immediately recalled Ziyech to the national team’s squad, cajoling the Chelsea winger by stressing his importance in the set-up.
Best player on show
The persuasion has worked wonders. Barring his substitution in the 76th minute of the game against Canada, where he took advantage of a goalkeeping error by dinking the ball into an empty net from 40 yards out, he has played every minute for Morocco in Qatar. His longrange goal aside, he was also the best player on show in Morocco’s 2-0 win over Belgium, earning a Player-of-the-match accolade for his effort.
How has Regragui managed to get the best out of him when the previous incumbent perceptibly struggled?
“He’s incredible. A lot of people talk about Hakim as a difficult guy to manage but what I see is that, when you give him love and confidence, he will die for you,” Regragui told reporters after their upset win over world No 2 Belgium.
“It is what I give him and he returns my confidence. He is a key player and a different player with the national team.”
Born in Dronten in central Netherlands, Ziyech’s hotheaded temperament has raised doubts ever since he was a rookie in the Dutch Eredivisie. His initiation at Heerenveen coincided with Marco van Basten’s spell as manager, whom he was not afraid of describing as a “big name but not a top coach”.
Ziyech just had two-year stints at Heerenveen and FC Twente, leaving one wondering whether his promise would remain unfulfilled. A move to Ajax in 2016, though, allowed Ziyech’s genuine ability to come to the surface, leading to a moniker of ‘The Wizard’ by the club’s supporters.
As Ziyech was rising up the ranks in Dutch football, the Netherlands tried their best to convince the winger to turn out for them. Ziyech represented the Netherlands in all the age groups all the way up to the Under-21s, but when the time came to make the big call in 2015, he chose Morocco, a move that van Basten would label “stupid”.
Ziyech may have felt “stupid” when he was sitting at home and not playing a part in Morocco’s World Cup qualification campaign earlier this year. But by reversing his retirement after the appointment of Regragui, he has certainly made a wise decision that is allowing Morocco to reap the benefits.