“It is a disappointment,” Aguerd says after losing World Cup fitness race

Nayef Aguerd said his World Cup withdrawal was not caused by a fresh injury setback, but by a lack of full physical readiness to help Morocco in the group stage.

The defender, who was replaced in Morocco’s final squad by Marwane Saadane, explained the decision in a social-media post two days before the Atlas Lions open their campaign against Brazil.

“This is not a setback or a recurrence of my injury,” Aguerd wrote. “On the contrary, I have been feeling better every day, and my injury is now behind me.”

He said the decision was taken with the coaching staff after assessing his current level. “We felt that my current level of performance was not yet sufficient for me to help the team as much as I would have liked during the group stage,” he added.

Aguerd said he had tried to return in time after weeks of rehabilitation, but accepted that he would not be “physically ready at 100%” for the start of the competition.

The defender thanked the Moroccan federation, medical staff and supporters, saying the season had been physically and mentally demanding.

“It is a disappointment, of course, but I accept it consciously and responsibly,” he said.