La Morocco national team achieved a historic performance in the Qatar 2022 World Cup by reaching the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time. The Atlas Lions were the great surprise, despite their coach, Walid Regragui, having only three months to prepare his squad before the start of the competition. However, there was someone who was not satisfied with the Mallorcans' participation: their former coach, Vahid Halilhodzic.
The Franco-Bosnian strategist, who left his position at the end of August, was hurt by not being able to retire after coaching in the World Cup. “They took away my pride. I can't forget it or forgive them, because it should have been the farewell to my coaching career,” said the coach to the Croatian portal tportal.hr.
According to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), the end of the relationship between both parties occurred in a "friendly" manner despite the "divergence of views regarding the preparation" of the team. The cause of these differences would have been the decision to exclude forward Hakim Ziyech for disciplinary reasons, although the player was finally able to play in the World Cup with the new coach.
Haber 'borrado' a Ziyech de la selección le costó el puesto a Halilhodzic. Photo: composition AFP/EFE
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"Vaha", 70, was also not satisfied with the praise he received from Regragui for creating the group with which he made history. “My successor's tribute cannot compensate for my bitterness or what I missed out on with this competition,” he added.
For the third time in his career, Vahid Halilhodzic missed out on coaching in a World Cup he had qualified for, as in 2010 and 2018 he was dismissed by the Ivory Coast and Japan national teams, respectively, months before the start of both editions. His only World Cup experience as a coach was in Brazil 2014, when he reached the round of 16 with Algeria.