Al Nasr star Taarabt wishes Morocco well on the big stage
Morocco, ranked 22nd in the world, are in Group F with Belgium, Croatia and Canada. It will be tough as Belgium and Croatia are favourites to finish in the top two spots.
In situations like these it is often useful to include experienced heads in the squad to help the younger players. Coach Walid Regragui has some quality at his disposal such as Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, but there was no room for playmaker Adel Taarabt, who recently joined Adnoc Pro League side Al Nasr on a two-year-deal having been released by Benfica.
But the 33-year-old wing wizard is not holding any grudges. “They are at the World Cup and I wish them the best,” said the former Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers fans favourite. “It is my country, I helped them qualify, but I knew it would be hard to get in the national team when I moved to the UAE as the coaches were selecting players playing in European clubs because they feel the level there is better.”
Born in Fez, Taarabt decided to represent Morocco despite playing age-group football with France, and made 30 appearances since his 2009 debut. His most recent cap came in a friendly against the United States in June.
Wealth of knowledge
Apart from the Premier League, Taarabt has played for AC Milan in Serie A and has a wealth of knowledge of the game, not to mention skills, but Morocco will have to do without his services. “For me this is no problem, I am happy. During the qualifiers the team had a different coach, Franco-Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, and then when the new coach Regragui came I knew my chances of being selected were less.”
He says playing in Dubai for Al Nasr is a totally different experience than playing in England in the Premier League but he is really enjoying it. “It is a different type of football and the weather is not easy as it is very hot, but I am trying to adapt as quick as possible with my team and my teammates. I am enjoying it and I want to do my best here. Coach Thorsten Fink and his staff welcomed me here really well.”