Morocco coach tells Ziyech he won’t return to squad even if he was Messi

Morocco head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has said Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech has no chance of returning to the Morocco men’s national team – not even if his name was Lionel Messi.

The manager has faced questions about Ziyech’s exclusion from the Africa Cup of Nations, where Morocco lost in the quarter-final to Egypt.

But Halilhodzic maintained that Ziyech’s behaviour on national team duty “does not fit the selection”.

“The players I have selected are the best in the country,” Halilhodzic told reporters.

“I don’t select a player who can unbalance the group. Not even if his name is Lionel Messi. Ziyech’s behaviour 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.”

The last time Ziyech played for Morocco was last June in a friendly against Burkina Faso.

After the Burkina Faso friendly, Halilhodzic said: “His behaviour 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.”

Morocco defeated Malawi 2-1 in the last-16 at the Nations Cup before their loss to Egypt.