Chelsea playmaker, Hakim Ziyech has been axed from Morocco’s most recent squad after holding the team hostage by declining to play in a friendly game as claimed by manager Vahid Halilhodzic.
The 28-year-old footballer who happens to be Morocco’s most refined footballer having quite recently won the Champions League with Chelsea, posted a snickering emoticon on Instagram following his scorn, before mentor Halilhodzic affirmed a confrontation with his star player.
This were a few of the things Halilhodzic had to say as per The New Arab;
”His behaviour in the last 2 matches, especially the last one, was not that of a national team player who as a leader in the team has to be positive role model. He arrived late and after that he even refused to work. There was no point in duscussing it afterwards, as a coach the answer is right there to see.
For me, the national team is above everything, nobody can hold it hostage. The unacceptable behaviors that is referred to is believed to date back to Ziyech’s conduct when called up for friendlies back home in Morocco against Ghana and Burkina Faso in June.
He added; For the first time in my coaching career, I have seen behaviour that disappoints me. A player who refuses to play a game, admittedly a friendly, on the pretext that he is injured. The medical staff made several examinations and said he could play. He then refused to warm up in the second half because he was disappointed to be a substitite.
For me, that type of behaviour is unacceptable. You can’t cheat with the national team. You are 100% there or you are not.”
In other news, ex Juventus and AC Milan striker, Mario Mandzukic has officially retired from football at age 35.
The ex-Croatian playmaker showed up at Juventus from Atletico Madrid in 2015, and after a spell in Qatar got back to Italy to show up for AC Milan in January 2021.
Mario Mandzukic won 4 league titles and 4 Coppa Italia, and furthermore won a Champions League and two Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich. He was additionally part of the Croatia squad that lost to France in the 2018 World Cup final.
Declaring his retirement on Instagram, he said:
”Dear little Mario,
While you put on these boots for the first time, you can’t even imagine what you will get to experience in football. You’ll score goals at the biggest stages and you’ll win the biggest trophies with the biggest clubs. Proudly representing your nation, you will help write the history of Croatian sports.
You’ll succeed because you’ll have good people around you – teammates, coaches, fans, and family, agent and friends who will always be there for you. You’ll be forever grateful to all of them!
Above all, you’ll succeed because you’ll always give your best. At the end, that’s what you’ll be most proud of. You’ll sacrifice a lot, but you’ll know it was worth it because of all the amazing moments.
You’ll recognize the moment to retire, to put these boots in a cabinet and you’ll have no regrets. Football will always be a part of your life, but you’ll look forward to a new chapter.
Enjoy!
Your big Mario
P.S. If you happen to play vs England in the World Cup, just be ready around 109th minute ”
Checkout his post below;