Mohamed Wahbi, coach of the Moroccan national team, today spoke about the reasons for calling up Munir Mohamedi, goalkeeper of Renaissance Berkane, to the final squad of the ‘Atlas Lions’ participating in the World Cup, affirming that Mohamedi delivers outstanding performances both on and off the field.
This came during the press conference held by Wahbi to announce the selected names for the major tournament, highlighting the good performance Mohamedi offers with his club.
Wahbi explained that Mohamedi has proven his worth through his recent appearances, including the crucial saves he made today, confirming his readiness on the green pitch. He pointed out that the player is not only a technical asset but also an influential and important character off the field.
The coach also confirmed that he has not yet decided the order of the three main goalkeepers, noting that the competition will be open and the final order will be determined based on the goalkeepers’ performance in daily training sessions.
In a related context, Wahbi explained the absence of other goalkeepers such as Gomis and Benchouch from the main squad, clarifying that their call-up to the preparatory camp was to cover shortages due to the first-choice goalkeepers’ commitments in crucial matches in the professional league.
He added that the goalkeepers selected in the final squad surpass Gomis and Benchouch in terms of experience and regular play with their clubs, affirming that continuity is essential in goalkeeping.
Wahbi continued by confirming that calling up young goalkeepers such as Mehdi Lharar in the reserve list is part of a policy to provide opportunities to emerging talents who regularly participate with their teams, although they will not be among the top three goalkeepers.
In conclusion, he emphasized that the goal is to choose the most ready and stable players to represent the national team in a global event of the magnitude of the World Cup, pointing out the importance of benefiting from local league goalkeepers in emergencies, unlike players who participate only for training purposes.
