Latest news with #Ziyech
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Wydad Interested in Hakim Ziyech Ahead of Club World Cup
Wydad Casablanca are exploring a move for Hakim Ziyech following his exit from Al Duhail, according to Africa Foot. The Moroccan international is currently a free agent and could be in line for a surprise switch to Botola Pro. Ziyech, 32, parted ways with the Qatari club just five months after joining. His time in Doha was underwhelming, with only one goal and one assist in 13 appearances. Al Duhail confirmed his departure in a brief statement on Saturday. Wydad, who will represent Morocco at the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, are reportedly considering a short-term deal to strengthen their squad. Club president Hicham Aït Menna is said to have opened discussions through intermediaries to gauge Ziyech's interest. Despite representing Morocco at the international level, Ziyech has never played professionally in the country. Born and raised in the Netherlands, his entire career has taken place abroad, with spells at Heerenveen, Twente, Ajax, Chelsea, Galatasaray, and most recently, Al Duhail. The winger's career has stalled in recent years. After a promising start at Ajax and a high-profile move to Chelsea, things began to unravel. Injuries, tactical changes and lack of game time limited his impact in London. Short spells in Turkey and Qatar followed, but neither sparked a real turnaround. Ziyech was left out of Morocco's squad in 2025 and is now believed to be looking for a new challenge that could revive his form and put him back in contention ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations to be held on home soil. Wydad see the move as a bold statement ahead of their Club World Cup campaign. Ziyech's experience at the top level, including Champions League and World Cup appearances, could offer valuable leadership and quality in attack. His market value has dipped to around €4.5 million, but on a free transfer, the deal could suit both parties. Tags: Club World CupHakim ZiyechWydad AC
Ya Biladi
4 days ago
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Hakim Ziyech's contract with Al-Duhail officially ends after one season
Al-Duhail SC has officially announced the departure of Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech, confirming the end of his contract with the club's first team. In a statement shared on the club's official channels, Al-Duhail stated that Ziyech's contract concluded at the end of the 2024–2025 season, and he will not be part of the team moving forward. The 31-year-old winger joined Al-Duhail in January on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Turkish side Galatasaray. Ziyech has had an eventful career, playing for several clubs since starting out in 2015, including Heerenveen, Twente, and Ajax in the Netherlands, Chelsea in England, and Galatasaray in Turkey, where he featured in 11 matches across all competitions this season. During his time at Galatasaray, Ziyech played five matches in the Turkish Super Lig, three in the Europa League, two in the Champions League qualifiers, and one in the Turkish Cup. At Al-Duhail, he made nine appearances in the Qatar Stars League, scoring once. Al-Duhail finished the current Qatar Stars League season in second place, lost the Qatar Cup final to Al-Sadd, and exited the Emir Cup at the quarterfinal stage after a defeat to Al-Rayyan.
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Ziyech Leaves Al Duhail as Qatar Begin Foreign Player Overhaul
Hakim Ziyech has left Al Duhail after just five months, as clubs across the Qatar Stars League begin reshaping their squads following changes to foreign player regulations. The Moroccan international, who joined in January after a short-lived spell at Galatasaray, made 13 appearances for Al Duhail, scoring once and assisting another. His departure was confirmed by the club on Saturday in a short statement thanking him for his efforts. Ziyech is one of several big names to leave the Qatari league at the end of the 2024/25 season. Al Duhail have also announced the exits of head coach Christophe Galtier and striker Michael Olunga. Galtier departs after a season that ended without silverware, while Olunga leaves as the club's all-time top scorer with 123 goals. Elsewhere, Al Rayyan confirmed the departure of five foreign players, including Egypt's Mahmoud Trezeguet, who returns to Al Ahly. Brazilian trio Thiago Mendes, Romarinho and Paulo Vitor have also moved on, along with Paraguayan forward Adam Bareiro and Dutch right-back Joshua Brenet. The exits come as the Qatar Football Association prepares to implement a new rule allowing clubs to register up to 10 foreign players in their 28-man squads. The change is part of a wider effort to strengthen Qatari sides in Asian competitions, particularly as neighbouring Saudi clubs continue to attract top talent with heavy investment. Ziyech, now a free agent, will once again weigh up his options as he looks to revive a career that has seen stops in the Netherlands, England, Turkey and now Qatar. Tags: GalatasarayHakim ZiyechQatarQatari league
Morocco World
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Ziyech Storms Off Pitch After Substitution in Qatar Cup Semi-Final
Rabat — Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech was visibly angry yesterday following his substitution during Al-Duhail's Qatar Cup semi-final match against Al-Gharafa. The Moroccan star couldn't hide his displeasure when coach Christophe Galtier replaced him with Ismail Mohamed in the 71st minute. Video footage circulating on social media shows the Moroccan international player storming off the pitch with wrinkled brows, muttering words of protest while raising his hand in frustration. Ziyech's anger didn't stop there — he kicked water bottles twice before a teammate on the bench attempted to calm him down. This outburst comes as no surprise to those familiar with Ziyech's temperament. His move to Qatar reportedly stems partly from similar incidents during his time at Galatasaray, where coach Okan Buruk reportedly benched him for comparable behavior, according to Turkish media. The 'magician' has a history of such conflicts, notably with former Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic. The two had a longstanding conflict that led the former coach to shock fans by excluding Ziyech from the national team for months despite his vital role and contribution to the squad's performance. Read also: World Cup 2022 with Morocco Remains Engraved in Hakim Ziyech's Memory Despite these behavioral issues, Ziyech remains one of Morocco's most talented players, scoring 25 goals in 64 appearances for the Atlas Lions. However, current national team coach Walid Regragui hasn't called him up since October 2024. During a press conference earlier this month, Regragui said that he can call up the Moroccan winger when he is back to his best. The Moroccan coach described Ziyech as 'a great player with real talent' who contributed a lot to the national team. 'Now he's started the last two games and is getting back to form,' Regragui added. 'When he's ready, we'll call him back because he's an important player for us.' Al-Duhail managed to advance to the Qatar Cup final after winning 4-3 on penalties, but Ziyech's latest outburst could impact his standing with the club for the remainder of the season. Tags: Al DuhailFootballHakim Ziyech
Ya Biladi
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Romain Saïss opens up about tensions between Hakim Ziyech and Vahid Halilhodžić
The French podcast « Le Club des 5 » hosted Moroccan international Romain Saïss, who currently plays for Al Sadd in Qatar. During the interview, he discussed his football career and highlighted key moments from the national team's journey in the Africa Cup of Nations and the recent World Cup in Qatar. Saïss reflected on the period when Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodžić was in charge of the Moroccan national team, a time marked by significant tensions with the media and several players, most notably Hakim Ziyech. Saïss revealed that the conflict between Ziyech and Halilhodžić began during a national team training camp, shortly after Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League. He explained that Ziyech arrived at the camp exhausted and went to the physiotherapy room for a massage session. At that moment, Halilhodžić called out to him, asking him to join, but Ziyech replied, «I won't come now, as you can see, I'm getting a massage… I'll finish up and then join». This response did not sit well with the coach, prompting him to take a firm stance. Saïss mentioned that Ziyech later told him the coach had asked him to leave. He added, «I was present at a meeting that evening with the coach, Ziyech, and the president of the federation, where I acted as a translator, carefully choosing words to bridge the gap». The following day, Saïss confirmed that Halilhodžić contacted him and expressed his intention to move forward with Ziyech, but what happened next was unexpected. In the subsequent training camp, Ziyech called Saïss and suggested they travel together from England on the same flight, to which Saïss agreed. However, the next morning, the final roster was announced, and Ziyech's name was not on the list. Halilhodžić then held a press conference where he harshly criticized Ziyech. Saïss affirmed that the coach's statements reached the English press, negatively impacting Ziyech's career at Chelsea, as he lost his place in the starting lineup under manager Thomas Tuchel.
