One of their primary threats on the ball, gone 72 hours before kickoff
Three days before Morocco and Brazil meet in New Jersey to open the World Cup, both squads have been quietly reshaped by injury — a reminder that the tournament begins not on the pitch, but in the fragile weeks before it. Morocco loses a defensive anchor whose absence had been building since March and an attacking spark extinguished in a single awkward collision, while Brazil improvises at fullback after a severe muscle tear. The game will proceed, as games always do, but with both sides carrying the quiet weight of what might have been.
- Morocco's defensive spine is exposed: Nayef Aguerd, a cornerstone of their 2022 World Cup run, has been sidelined since March with a groin injury and will not recover in time.
- A last-minute blow struck the attack as well — Ezzalzouli twisted his knee in a friendly against Norway just days before the opener, stripping Morocco of their most dangerous left-flank threat.
- Brazil is not unscathed either: right back Wesley suffered a grade 3 adductor tear against Egypt, forcing coach Ancelotti to repurpose midfielder Éderson in an unfamiliar defensive role.
- Replacements Saadane and Sbai join Morocco's squad, but neither has the time or context to fully absorb the tactical systems they are stepping into.
- Saturday's match in New Jersey will kick off with both teams diminished — the injuries arriving at the cruelest possible moment, leaving no room to adapt.
Three days before Morocco's World Cup opener against Brazil in New Jersey, the Moroccan federation confirmed two forced roster changes. Defender Nayef Aguerd and left winger Abde Ezzalzouli were cut from the squad, replaced by Marwane Saadane and Amine Sbai.
Aguerd's absence had been a slow-building shadow over Morocco's preparations. The Olympique de Marseille center back had been carrying a groin injury since March and never recovered in time. A key figure in Morocco's historic 2022 campaign, he would now watch the tournament from home.
Ezzalzouli's exit was more sudden. The Real Betis winger — one of Morocco's sharpest attacking weapons — caught his right knee awkwardly in a collision during a friendly against Norway on Sunday. The resulting sprain was serious enough that the federation chose not to risk him further. His absence leaves a visible gap in Morocco's offensive shape.
Brazil, too, arrived at the tournament carrying damage. Right back Wesley tore his adductor muscle during a friendly against Egypt, forcing coach Carlo Ancelotti to call up Atalanta midfielder Éderson as an unconventional replacement. Both teams will take the field on Saturday operating below full strength, with new faces in critical roles and no time left to settle into them.
Three days before Morocco was set to open the World Cup against Brazil, the Moroccan federation announced two significant roster cuts forced by injury. Defender Nayef Aguerd and left winger Abde Ezzalzouli would not make the trip to New Jersey. Marwane Saadane and Amine Sbai were called in as replacements.
Aguerd's absence had been building for months. The Olympique de Marseille center back had carried a groin injury since March and never regained fitness in time for the tournament. He had started multiple matches for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and was expected to anchor the defense again. Instead, he would watch from home.
Ezzalzouli's injury was fresher and more sudden. The Real Betis winger, one of Morocco's most dangerous attacking threats, caught his right knee awkwardly during a friendly against Norway on Sunday. A collision with a teammate in that match left him with a sprain severe enough that the federation decided he could not risk further damage in competition. The loss of his pace and technical ability on the left flank represented a real blow to Morocco's offensive shape.
Brazil faced its own late-stage roster disruption. During a friendly against Egypt, right back Wesley suffered a severe adductor muscle injury in his left leg—a grade 3 strain that would require weeks of recovery. Coach Carlo Ancelotti summoned Éderson, the Atalanta midfielder, to fill the gap. It was an unusual substitution, moving a central player to cover a fullback role, but the circumstances left little choice.
Both teams would take the field on Saturday in New Jersey operating below their preferred strength. The opening match, scheduled for 7 p.m. Brasília time, would be the first game for each squad in the tournament. Morocco would be without two players who had been counted on to influence the match—one in defense, one in attack. Brazil would have to improvise at a position that demands specific tactical awareness. The injuries had arrived at the worst possible moment, three days before the opening whistle, leaving no time for the squads to fully adjust their systems or for the replacement players to settle into their roles.
Citas Notables
Aguerd was a regular starter for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and had been expected to anchor the defense again— Reporting on Aguerd's role in the squad
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does an injury to a left winger matter so much for Morocco? They have other attacking options, don't they?
Ezzalzouli wasn't just another winger. He was one of their primary threats on the ball—quick, technical, capable of creating something from nothing. When you lose that kind of player 72 hours before facing Brazil, you're not just losing a body. You're losing a specific tactical weapon, and there's no time to recalibrate.
And Aguerd had been injured since March? How does a player stay in the squad if he's been hurt for three months?
That's the gamble federations take. They held him in the squad hoping he'd recover in time. He didn't. It's a sunk cost decision—you keep him on the roster believing he'll be fit, and then suddenly you're three days out and he's clearly not going to make it.
What about Brazil's move to call up a midfielder for a fullback position? That seems desperate.
It is. Éderson is a good player, but he's not a right back. Ancelotti is working with what he has. It suggests Brazil's depth at that position isn't as strong as people thought, or the injury was serious enough that they couldn't wait for a specialist to recover.
Do these injuries change how the match will actually play out?
Absolutely. Morocco loses attacking creativity on the wing and defensive stability at center back. Brazil loses positional flexibility on the right side. Both teams will be more cautious, more predictable. The match becomes less about what they wanted to do and more about managing what they've lost.