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Morocco manager Vahid Halilhodzic has confirmed that Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech will not be returning to the international setup anytime soon. Halilhodzic has cited disciplinary reasons for not picking the 28-year-old winger for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Halilhodzic is not willing to disrupt the team's atmosphere for any individual player regardless of how good he is.
Speaking to the media regarding Ziyech's selection, the 69-year-old manager said the following:
"The players I have selected are the best in the country. I don't select a player who can unbalance the group. Not even if his name is Lionel Messi. Ziyech's behavior does not fit the selection. He doesn't want to train, doesn't want to play. He doesn't take it seriously. I'm not going to beg him to come back. After the [Afcon] tournament three years ago, he was the most criticised. He was booed. You mustn't forget that."
Ziyech last played a game for the Moroccan national team back in June 2021 in a friendly against Burkina Faso. Following the game, Halilhodzic criticized the Chelsea star's conduct, saying:
"His behavior in the last two matches, especially the last one, was not that of a national team player who, as a leader in the team, must be a positive role model. He arrived late and after that, he even refused to work. There was no point in discussing it afterwards, as a coach the answer is right there to see."
Hakim Ziyech has earned 40 caps for Morocco, scoring 17 goals during his time with the national team.
Morocco, meanwhile, exited the 2021 AFCON in the quarter-final stage, losing to eventual finalists Egypt.
At club level, Ziyech has had a decent season. The Blues winger has scored six goals and provided four assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.
Ziyech found the net for Chelsea prior to the international break. He scored a couple of league goals in his last appearances against Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea play Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup
Chelsea return to action on 5 February following the international break with a game against Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The Blues secured a comfortable 5-1 win over Chesterfield in the previous round.
Chelsea will then travel to the UAE for the FIFA Club World Cup, where they will compete from the semi-final stage. The Blues also take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on 27 February.
