Mazraoui and Ezzalzouli injured four days before World Cup, major blow for Morocco

Morocco suffered a worrying setback four days before their World Cup opener: two key players, Noussair Mazraoui and Abde Ezzalzouli, left the pitch with injuries during the friendly match against Norway on Sunday, during the first half alone.

Mazraoui was the first to exit prematurely. The Manchester United defender felt physical discomfort in the 29th minute and was replaced by Youssef Belammari. The exact nature of his injury has not yet been specified.

Ezzalzouli was hurt late in the first half following a challenge in the box on a Norwegian corner. The Betis Sevilla winger, 24, remained on the ground, clearly affected in his right leg. He attempted to continue, but collapsed two minutes later, unable to carry on. He was eventually replaced at the start of the second half by Soufiane Rahimi.

Irony would have it that Ezzalzouli was decisive before his exit: he set up Morocco’s opening goal, finished by Brahim Diaz in the 7th minute.

This double setback comes at the worst possible time for the Atlas Lions, who were playing their final warm-up before the 2026 World Cup kick-off. The health status of both players will be closely monitored in the coming hours, as Morocco’s medical staff has very little time to assess their availability.