Younès Belhanda said he still holds a grudge against former Morocco coach Walid Regragui over being left out of Morocco's 2022 World Cup squad. GOAL reported that Belhanda spoke on "Rio Ferdinand Presents", as reported on Friday 30 October by the Spanish newspaper Marca.
Belhanda says anger remains
Belhanda said: "Even today, I still hold a grudge against Walid Regragui. I did not understand it."
He added: "He did not even call me, nothing at all! It was very painful, and I have not got over it even now."
No explanation over squad decision
Belhanda said Regragui did not call him to explain the decision and did not answer when Belhanda called on the day the squad was announced.
He said: "I just wanted an explanation. Be a man and tell me: 'Younès, I make my decisions.' I was no longer 15 years old, I was 32. I would have understood it, and accepting it would have been easier."
Call before the World Cup
Belhanda said Regragui had called him before the World Cup to call him up to the team and gave him hope.
He said: "He was my assistant coach, and we talked a lot. Then he called me to call me up to the team right before the World Cup, and gave me hope."
He continued: "It did not destroy me, but it certainly affected me."
What he watched afterwards
Belhanda said: "I did not care, and I did not even watch the matches"
He added: "I watched the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, but I did not follow it the way I follow Morocco national team matches. You can see how far this anger reached."
