Kooora interview with Mustapha Hadji draws international attention

Kooora’s interview with Mustapha Hadji drew broad interest beyond Morocco, including in France and the Netherlands. The conversation with the former Morocco national-team figure was picked up by media in several places, reflecting the range of subjects discussed.

Among them, Hadji’s comments on the dispute between Sofyan Amrabat and coach Mohamed Ouahbi particularly caught attention in Morocco. After Amrabat announced that he would refuse to play for the team with Ouahbi present, Hadji delivered a blunt message: « Who are you to say that? You are above neither the national team, nor the coach, nor the Moroccan flag. You must join the national team and play in silence, even if you play only one minute, because it is an honour for you. »

The controversy surrounding those remarks became one of the interview’s central threads, but it was not the only subject. Hadji also discussed the crisis surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, several figures in Moroccan and Arab football, African national teams, and Morocco’s ambitions in major competitions.

Reaction also focused on his views about the final. Moroccan media highlighted his comments on the case, while interest extended to Senegal, where local media carried his remarks weeks before the Court of Arbitration for Sport was expected to issue its decision. In France, several platforms focused on his predictions about that decision.

Other parts of the interview broadened its reach. Hadji addressed Morocco’s difficulties at the Africa Cup of Nations despite its performances at the World Cup, as well as the dispute between Mohamed Salah and Hossam Hassan. On that issue, he defended the forward: « With all due respect to Hossam Hassan, Salah is greater than you and the history of Egyptian football, and you must respect him. »

Sports platforms specialising in African news also covered Hadji’s outlook for Moroccan football and the abilities of its stars. The interview’s reach, from Morocco to Europe and further afield, reflects the range of subjects that shaped the conversation.