The 2026 World Cup is underway, and Morocco is hoping to build on its historic fourth-place finish from the 2022 World Cup. However, injury news involving DF Noussair Mazraoui, DF Nayef Aguerd, and MF Abdessamad Ezzalzouli has Atlas Lions supporters concerned heading into their World Cup opener against Brazil today at 6 p.m. ET.
Ezzalzouli suffered a friendly-fire knee injury during Morocco's final pre-tournament friendly on June 7, and it has since been confirmed that the expected starter will miss the 2026 World Cup entirely.
First-choice center back Aguerd suffered a groin injury in March and was initially expected to be fit for Morocco's opener against Brazil on June 13. A setback in his recovery has since ruled him out of the tournament as well.
Mazraoui was forced to come off after just 28 minutes in Morocco’s final pre-tournament friendly with a shoulder injury, too.
Below, we’ll break down the latest Morocco injury report, including Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Noussair Mazraoui, and Nayef Aguerd injury updates vs. Brazil, followed by how the news impacts Brazil vs. Morocco picks on PrizePicks.
Make your Morocco 2026 World Cup picks on PrizePicks now!
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Morocco Injury Report: Will Ezzalzouli, Mazraoui, and Aguerd Play Today vs. Brazil?
Early Thursday morning, just two days before Morocco's opener, it was confirmed that both Ezzalzouli and Aguerd would be replaced in the squad.
Mazraoui, who picked up a shoulder injury in Morocco’s final pre-tournament friendly, is said to be available for squad selection on Saturday. He was a full participant in Morocco’s final pre-match training session before Saturday's Matchday 1 clash with Brazil in New York.
Ezzalzouli had been expected to start in his second World Cup after impressive performances for Real Betis in La Liga and for Morocco during their AFCON-winning campaign. The 24-year-old was one of Morocco's most dangerous attackers, leading the Atlas Lions in big chances created during AFCON and ranking among their leaders in shots and shots on target per game.
Aguerd has been a big reason for Morocco’s recent success over the past few years. The 30-year-old was a regular starter during the 2022 World Cup before going down with an injury against Spain in the Round of 16. He was equally important during Morocco's AFCON run, leading the team in clearances and passes per game as the Atlas Lions built from the back.
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What Players to Target on PrizePicks if Mazraoui, Ezzalzouli, or Aguerd Are Out?
Ezzalzouli and Aguerd will be replaced by Marwane Saâdane and Amine Sbaï, both of whom will be making their World Cup debuts this summer.
Sbaï, capped just once at the international level, is likely to serve as a depth option and may see limited minutes. Saâdane, the more experienced of the two, has 15 caps for Morocco and could now find himself playing critical minutes following Aguerd's withdrawal. He came off the bench in both of Morocco's pre-tournament friendlies.
Youssef Belammari is the most likely replacement if Mazraoui faces any setbacks ahead of Morocco’s World Cup opener. Belammari will be making his World Cup debut after an impressive outing in the CAF World Cup qualifiers.
Here are the Morocco players who may benefit most on PrizePicks with Ezzalzouli and Aguerd out — and their stat projections for Saturday.
DF Youssef Belammari — 0.5 Fouls (Goblin) / 0.5 Goal + Assist (Demon) / 0.5 Fouls Drawn (Goblin)
DF Chadi Riad — 0.5 Shots (Demon) / 0.5 Fouls (Goblin) / 0.5 Cards (Demon)
FW Soufiane Rahimi — 2.5 Shots (Demon), 0.5 Goal + Assist (Demon), 0.5 Fouls Drawn (Goblin)
Rahimi and Riad are expected to start in Ezzalzouli and Aguerd’s places. Riad started Morocco’s final pre-tournament friendly, making 4 defensive contributions and 3 clearances in 65 minutes played. Norway’s equalizer came after the defender had already subbed off.
Rahimi, who replaced Ezzalzouli following his injury, will likely start in his place on Saturday afternoon. The 30-year-old forward typically excels as the striker but could be forced to the left wing to replace Ezzalzouli’s role. He won the Golden Boot at the 2024 Olympics, scoring 8 goals in six matches.
Combine Riad picks + Rahimi picks for your Brazil vs. Morocco prediction on PrizePicks.
Morocco Picks for 2026 World Cup
With Ezzalzouli and Aguerd set to miss the tournament, how could the injuries impact Morocco picks for World Cup 2026?
Here are some of the top Morocco predictions on PrizePicks for the 2026 World Cup. Check out more of our World Cup picks and predictions on Playbook.
Lock in your Morocco 2026 World Cup predictions on PrizePicks.
Player and Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Morocco to Qualify from Group C: Yes 1.12x | No 5.55x
Morocco's payout to qualify on PrizePicks Team Picks has ticked up slightly from 1.08x before the injuries were announced. The Atlas Lions open against Group C favorites Brazil on Saturday evening. Morocco is a heavy underdog in the opener but remains favored against Scotland and Haiti on matchdays two and three despite the recent news.
Furthest Advancing African Nation: Yes 2.5x | No 1.42x
The reigning AFCON champions remain the favorites to advance further than any other African nation at the 2026 World Cup, even after losing two key players. This year's tournament features a record 10 African nations, the second-highest representation of any continent.
Should Morocco advance from Group C, they could find themselves on a favorable path into the knockout rounds. Senegal, the AFCON runners-up, is considered the second-most likely African side to make a deep run (4.54x). Morocco may have the advantage over Senegal, given that the Lions of Teranga are drawn into this year's "Group of Death." in Group I.
Morocco to Win Group C: Yes 3.84x | No 1.23x
Despite the setbacks, Morocco still sits comfortably as the second favorite to win Group C. Their opener against Brazil will likely go a long way toward deciding how the group plays out.
Brazil has the lowest payout to win Group C at 1.35x, followed by Morocco at 3.84x, Scotland at 8.33x, and finally Haiti — the biggest underdogs at 33.33x.
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Make Morocco vs. Brazil World Cup Picks on PrizePicks
Despite losing two key players, Morocco heads into the 2026 World Cup with high ambitions when they face Brazil at MetLife Stadium on Saturday. The absences of Ezzalzouli and Aguerd will be felt, but manager Mohamed Ouahbi claims the rest of the squad is fit and ready to fill their roles.
Will losing Ezzalzouli and Aguerd prove too great an obstacle for Morocco to overcome in World Cup 2026?
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Stick around with the Playbook for continued World Cup predictions, picks, and analysis through the end of the tournament.
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