Only 20 of the 26 players selected by Mohamed Ouahbi for Morocco’s November internationals appear in the country’s 54-player market-value ranking. Five of the 14 highest-valued footballers are also absent from the squad.
The figures highlight the difference between Morocco’s most expensive football talent and the players available to the national team.
The November 1 Atlas Lions Market Value Tracker places the country’s leading 54 footballers at a combined €904.5 million. But that figure represents a wider player pool, not the value of Ouahbi’s current squad.
His 26-man selection for the Niger qualifiers, announced on November 4, offers an opportunity to examine how the two groups differ.
Nine of Morocco’s 14 Most Valuable Players Make the Squad
The 14 players valued at €20 million or more account for €512 million of Morocco’s ranked player value.
Nine have been selected for the Niger matches. Together, those nine are valued at €370 million.
| High-valued player not selected | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Ismael Saibari | €55m |
| Chemsdine Talbi | €25m |
| Samir El Mourabet | €22m |
| Amine Adli | €20m |
| Eliesse Ben Seghir | €20m |
| Combined | €142m |
Saibari’s absence is explained by an ankle injury that required surgery. The other four players were not selected, but their valuations alone provide no basis for judging the coach’s decisions.
Ouahbi must consider available positions, playing time, fitness and the qualities required for particular opponents.
The €142 million held by the five absent players is nevertheless substantial. It accounts for more than a quarter of the value within Morocco’s highest-ranked group.
The figures build on Atlas Lions Insider’s November concentration analysis, which established how much of Morocco’s player-market value sits among a relatively small number of footballers.
Bounou Shows Why Market Value Cannot Measure Importance
Yassine Bounou offers one of the clearest examples of the limitations of market-value rankings.
The 35-year-old Al Hilal goalkeeper is valued at €3 million, placing him below the tracker’s €5 million ranking cutoff.
Yet he remains part of Ouahbi’s November squad and brings extensive international experience in a specialist position.
His valuation reflects a different set of market considerations from those attached to younger players whose prices may incorporate substantial future potential.
Bounou’s position in Morocco’s squad cannot be assessed by comparing his estimated transfer value with that of an attacking midfielder or winger.
The same applies to Munir El Kajoui and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, who are also selected despite valuations below the ranked cutoff.
Market value can help describe a footballer’s position in the transfer market. It is much less useful for deciding whether that player is the right choice for a particular international role.
Bouaddi and Zabiri Combine High Valuations With Selection
At the other end of the ranking, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Yassir Zabiri are examples of highly valued younger players who have earned places in Ouahbi’s squad.
Bouaddi leads Morocco’s November ranking at €90 million, ahead of Achraf Hakimi on €80 million.
Zabiri has risen from €9 million to €20 million since the October comparison, following his progress at Racing Santander.
Both have been included for the Niger qualifiers.
Their selection reflects the growing presence of younger footballers in Morocco’s senior setup. But their market values do not establish how many minutes they will play or what roles Ouahbi intends to give them.
Zabiri must compete with the returning Youssef En-Nesyri for opportunities at centre-forward.
Bouaddi is part of a midfield group also containing Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Oussama Targhalline, Reda Belahyane and Abdellah Ouazane.
The injuries to Azzedine Ounahi and Saibari have affected that competition, but the final midfield combination remains a tactical decision.
As shown in our November U23 analysis, young Moroccan footballers represent an increasing share of the ranked player pool. Their integration into the senior team, however, is a separate process.
Selection Extends Beyond Morocco’s Most Expensive Players
Six members of the November squad are valued below the €5 million cutoff, including the four goalkeepers, defender Ali Maamar and new arrival Ayoub Oufkir.
Oufkir is particularly relevant. The AZ Alkmaar winger receives his first senior call-up despite being outside the ranked Top 50.
The decision demonstrates that a player does not need a leading transfer valuation to attract the national-team coach’s attention.
Ouahbi has also recalled En-Nesyri, Reda Belahyane and Souffian El Karouani, while leaving several higher-valued players outside the November selection.
Injuries explain some changes. Others reflect the coach’s choices from the players available to him.
Morocco’s €904.5 million ranking remains useful for tracking the development of its football talent across clubs and leagues. The November squad provides a different measure: which players the coaching staff has chosen for two competitive fixtures.
Neither measure can replace the other.
Methodology
This analysis compares the Atlas Lions Insider November 1, 2026 Market Value Tracker, covering 54 ranked players, with Morocco’s 26-man squad announced on November 4.
The overlap, valuation totals and selection counts were calculated by matching player names across the two lists.
A provisional €3 million Transfermarkt estimate for Ayoub Oufkir, last updated May 28, 2026, is used because he was not included in the November tracker. This means the estimated total squad value combines valuations recorded on different dates and should not be presented as an independently verified November 1 squad valuation.
All market values are estimates rather than transfer fees or direct assessments of international performance.
Sources: Atlas Lions Insider Market Value Tracker · CAF’s November squad report · Transfermarkt — Oufkir
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