Ilias Akhomach Joins Morocco Squad as Brahim Diaz Faces Fitness Issues
The Moroccan Football Federation has lit a fuse without saying a word. Ilias Akhomach is in. Someone else is out. Nobody will confirm who.
In Spain, the answer feels obvious.
On Tuesday night, newspaper AS reported that all signs point to Brahim Diaz being the player sacrificed, the Real Madrid attacker pushed out of the current Morocco squad by his own body rather than by form or favour.
Silent list, loud message
The federation announced Akhomach’s call-up but refused to reveal who would make way. That silence only amplified the noise around Diaz.
AS had already revealed on Monday that Diaz had been playing his last matches through severe pain. Not a niggle. Not a precaution. Pain serious enough to explain why his name is missing from the Morocco squad during this international window.
There is still no official statement from Morocco or from Real Madrid. No medical report. No formal ruling out. Yet the pattern is clear enough: the indications are that Diaz will not feature in Morocco’s fixtures against Gabon and Lesotho, nor in the high-profile friendly against Ghana. Rest has become non-negotiable.
Akhomach’s opening
For Akhomach, the door has swung open again.
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi has turned to the Villarreal forward, handing him another chance to nail down a place in a squad that keeps getting deeper and more competitive.
Born in Pierola, in the Barcelona area, Akhomach grew up in Spain but chose Morocco when it came to his international future. The decision was about roots, identity, and opportunity. Now, at 22, he finds himself back in the national setup with a clear runway in front of him.
He has already worn the Morocco shirt 13 times. He is still waiting for that first international goal. This call-up offers him a fresh shot at it, and with Diaz likely absent, a little more space to breathe and express himself on the right side of the attack.
Diaz forced to pause
The situation is very different for Diaz.
Since the start of the season, Jose Mourinho has leaned heavily on him at Real Madrid. The coach has been open about that reliance, his team sheets and his public comments aligning: Diaz is a key part of the right flank, an automatic pick when fit.
Across four seasons in Madrid, Diaz has never looked more secure, more trusted, more central to the project than he does now. His performances have matched that status, his influence growing week by week.
Then came the physical problems. Severe enough that he played through them. Severe enough that they now threaten to stall his surge just as he seemed ready to lock down an undisputed starting role.
Skipping this international break changes the rhythm of his season. It also might save it.
Instead of flying out to face Gabon, Lesotho and Ghana, Diaz is expected to stay back, recover, and reset. No travel. No minutes to manage. Just treatment, rest and the chance to return to the pitch as close to 100% as possible.
For Morocco, that means improvisation on the right and another test of their depth. For Akhomach, it is an unexpected opening. For Diaz, it is something rarer in a packed calendar: time.
