Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech has suggested he has quit international football for good after a falling-out with Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic.
The 28-year-old has not played for the Atlas Lions since June last year, and was omitted from the squad for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“I will not return to the national team, and this is my final decision,” Ziyech said.
“I am focussing on what I am doing with my club.”
“Everyone has seen what happened in the last period,” Ziyech added.
“I am sad but this is my final decision.
“The coach of the national team made his decision, and in any case I respect it. My focus now, as I said, is only on Chelsea.”
Since featuring against Ghana and Burkina Faso last June Ziyech has been involved in a war of words with Bosnian Halilhodzic regarding his availability for international duty.
The former Ajax man missed all six group-stage fixtures in Morocco’s World Cup qualifying campaign, and it appears Halilhodzic does not intend to select Ziyech for the two-legged play-off against the Democratic Republic of Congo for a spot in Qatar next month.
