Sofyan Amrabat, the 30-year-old midfielder for AFC Ajax, has ended his international career with Morocco. The player announced this decision for as long as Walid Ouahbi remains head coach of the Moroccan national team, according to a report by NOS Sport this week.
This development comes as Ajax sits sixth in the Eredivisie table with seven points from four matches. The team has a goal difference of plus four, having scored nine and conceded five. The title race shows Ajax trails leaders AZ Alkmaar by eight points.
Why is Amrabat retiring from Morocco?
Amrabat has directly linked his departure to the presence of head coach Walid Ouahbi. The player did not provide further details about the reasons for this split. His decision marks the end of a period where he was a mainstay in Morocco's midfield. Amrabat made his national team debut in 2017 and has since earned a significant number of caps.
For Ajax, this situation changes the availability of the experienced midfielder. He will now be fully focused on club football and no longer absent for international breaks. This could benefit the planning certainty for the Ajax coaching staff. The full Ajax squad is always available on our squad page.
What does this mean for Ajax?
The club retains a player who can focus entirely on the Eredivisie campaign. Amrabat is one of the more experienced figures in a relatively young Ajax side. His presence for all training sessions and matches could improve the team's consistency. Ajax currently sits sixth in the league with a recent form guide of loss, win, draw, and win (LWDW).
The coming weeks are important for the club to close the gap on the leaders. The next challenge is an away match against FC Groningen on October 18th. Groningen currently sits ninth in the table. The live league table is always up-to-date in our standings.
How does the rest of the season look?
Without international commitments, Amrabat can become a stable factor in Ajax's midfield. His experience will be needed in a league race that is far from decided. The manager's team has many matches left to erase the eight-point deficit to AZ Alkmaar.
The schedule for October and November becomes clearer with Amrabat no longer receiving call-ups for Morocco. This gives the technical staff more stability in preparing for key fixtures. The upcoming fixtures are vital for determining the direction of this season.
Ajax travels to the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium on October 18th for the match against FC Groningen.
