Morocco winger Ezzalzouli faces tournament exit as knee injury clouds Scotland's World Cup group

Abde Ezzalzouli, one of Morocco’s most dangerous attacking threats, is facing a race against time to feature at the 2026 World Cup after sustaining a sprained internal knee ligament during his country’s 1-1 warm-up draw with Norway, with reports suggesting a three-to-four week recovery timeline that would rule him out of the entire tournament.

The Real Betis winger was withdrawn at half-time of the friendly, raising immediate alarm for Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. “What worries me the most is the injury to two of our players, Noussair Mazraoui and Abde Ezzalzouli. We are waiting for the results of the medical examinations,” Ouahbi said after the match. Manchester United defender Mazraoui, who also came off with a partial shoulder dislocation, is expected to recover in time, but the prognosis for Ezzalzouli is considerably bleaker.

Journalist Hanif Ben Berkane reported the extent of the 24-year-old’s injury, indicating the layoff would likely see him miss Morocco’s entire Group C schedule — games against Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.

Ezzalzouli had been widely tipped as one of the tournament’s potential breakout players after a standout season in La Liga, contributing 15 goals and 13 assists from the left wing for Betis. His absence would represent a significant blow to a Morocco side ranked seventh in the world and buoyed by their recent AFCON title, which was awarded to them after Senegal were stripped of the trophy following controversy surrounding the final in January.

For Scotland, the development could prove meaningful. Steve Clarke’s side open their Group C campaign against Haiti in Boston in the early hours of Sunday morning — their first World Cup fixture since France 1998. A Morocco side shorn of Ezzalzouli’s creativity and goal threat would represent a more manageable obstacle in what is already a demanding group that also includes Brazil.

Ezzalzouli, a former Barcelona academy graduate, has also been linked with a summer move to Newcastle United as a potential replacement for Anthony Gordon, who joined Barcelona for £70 million earlier this summer. Whether that transfer interest survives the injury setback remains to be seen.

Morocco open their World Cup campaign against Brazil on Saturday evening at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.