With captain and reigning African footballer of the year Achraf Hakimi facing a race to be fit for the finals, the hosts may need to find inspiration from elsewhere.
Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz was top scorer in qualifying with seven goals, but Azzedine Ounahi, who pulls the strings in the Atlas Lions’ midfield, is the man many Moroccans are hoping to see shine.
A product of the country’s famed Mohammed VI Academy, Ounahi endured a frustrating time at Marseille after moving to the Stade Velodrome on the back of his impressive displays at the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
However, the 25-year-old has rediscovered some of his best form since moving to La Liga side Girona in August.
Morocco, who face Comoros, Mali and Zambia in Group A, are not short in leaders in other areas of the pitch – given they also boast the continent’s top goalkeeper in Yassine Bonou and experienced striker Youssef En-Nesyri – but could Ounahi be the one to step up if Hakimi is ruled out?
