Ziyech reveals the secrets behind his departure from Wydad and sets his condition for returning to the Morocco national team
Thirty-three years old does not mean the end.
After many years spent in European stadiums and spells in the Middle East and North Africa, Hakim Ziyech has decided to open a new chapter in his career. This time he has done so through the gateway of the Brazilian league, in a move that has raised plenty of questions about his true motives and his future with the Morocco national team.
Days after his arrival at Botafogo, the Moroccan international sat down for an interview with the website "Africa Foot". He spoke frankly about the reasons that led him to take on this new experience and revealed details of his departure from Wydad Casablanca, explaining that money was not the decisive factor in his decision. He also addressed his ambitions with his new Brazilian club and the reality of a possible return to the ranks of the Morocco national team.
Ziyech, aged 33, confirmed that his move to Brazil came in search of a different challenge and an environment that would help him rediscover the passion he had missed of late. This step is no final stop in his career, he stressed, but a new beginning through which he seeks to recover his best levels.
Ziyech: I wanted to rediscover the joy of playing football
Hakim Ziyech confirmed that his decision to join the Brazilian league was not driven by the financial side, despite the existence of other offers that were perhaps more attractive from a material point of view.
The Moroccan player said: "For me, joining the Brazilian league was not just a question of money. At this stage of my career, I was looking for a new challenge, and above all, for a place where I could rediscover the joy of playing football."
"Football is played in Brazil in a different way," he added. "Here, the fans have an exceptional passion for this sport, and this kind of atmosphere appeals to me a great deal."
Money, Ziyech explained, was not the factor that settled his choice, despite admitting that there were other options that were perhaps better from an economic point of view.
"Of course, there were other options, some of which were perhaps more attractive financially, but I did not want money to be the only factor determining my next choice," he continued. "I want to play football, to take on a new experience, and to test myself in a strong and different league."
His long experience in European stadiums, alongside his spells in the Middle East and North Africa, made him feel the time had come to discover a new experience in Brazil.
"I am 33 years old and I have wide experience in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, so I felt that the time had come to discover Brazil," he said. "I want to get to know the country, the league and the fans, but above all, I want to contribute to Botafogo."
The Wydad experience: the return was not for the money
Hakim Ziyech's return to Morocco through the gateway of Wydad Casablanca had aroused great interest, especially as the player chose to return to his country after many years spent away from it.
Yet Ziyech stressed that his decision to return home was not linked to financial reward. It came instead as a result of personal and sporting motives, foremost among them his desire to be close to his family and to play in front of the Moroccan fans.
"My decision to return to Morocco and play with Wydad was a decision I took with complete conviction," he said. "I did not return to my country for money, but rather I wanted to be close to my family and to play in front of the Moroccan fans."
His experience with Wydad, though, did not continue in the way he had hoped. Disagreements emerged over a number of details relating to working conditions and some financial matters.
"But football is not just about emotions," the player explained. "After a period, some things changed within the club, and disagreements arose between us over several details, particularly concerning working conditions and financial matters. At a certain point, I felt that things were not going as I expected, so we took a joint decision to part ways."
Despite his departure from Wydad, Ziyech was keen to stress that his decision was not an expression of his rejection of the idea of playing in Morocco, emphasising that his experience with the Casablanca club was important to him.
"I did not leave Morocco because I did not want to play there," he said. "On the contrary, that experience was valuable to me, and I hold great respect for Wydad and its fans. But at this stage of my professional career, I felt that I needed a new challenge, in an environment where I could focus entirely on football."
The Botafogo offer: a completely different opportunity
The Botafogo offer came at a time when Ziyech was looking for a new beginning. In the Brazilian club, the player found an opportunity different from the other options available to him.
"When I received an offer from Botafogo, I saw in it a completely different opportunity," Ziyech said. "Brazil lives the football experience in an exceptional way, the club has great ambitions, and its fans are extremely passionate."
That aspect, he explained, was one of the reasons that led him to choose Brazil rather than continue in Morocco. "So I preferred to take on this experience rather than staying in Morocco simply because I wanted to remain close to my country," he added.
His attachment to his country will remain strong, the Moroccan player stressed, but he sees that his professional career requires him to take the decisions he sees as appropriate for his sporting future.
"I am Moroccan, and I will always remain deeply attached to my country," he said. "But my football career also requires me to take my decisions myself. In the end, I chose the place where I felt I would be happiest and give the best performance at this stage of my career."
The Atlas Lions dream is still alive
Ziyech's future with the Morocco national team was not far from the questions put to him, especially as the player had moved away from the Atlas Lions' plans in the recent past while now continuing to take on a new experience in Brazil.
He did not close the door on a return to the Morocco national team. At the same time, he confirmed that any recall should come as a result of what he offers on the pitch, and not merely a personal wish on his part.
"I believe that Botafogo will give me the chance to prove my ability to play at the highest levels, but a return to the national team does not depend only on the club or the coach," he said. "First, I have to prove my worth on the pitch."
"If I produce the performance that I know I am capable of, and if the Moroccan coach sees that I deserve to return, I will be very happy to wear the Morocco national team shirt again," he added.
The Morocco national team holds a special place in Ziyech's career, especially after the historic experience he lived with the Atlas Lions at the 2022 World Cup, when the team achieved an unprecedented feat by reaching the semi-finals.
"The national team means a lot to me," Ziyech said. "I lived unforgettable moments with it, especially during the 2022 World Cup. So I will never rule out a return."
He does not want to force himself onto the technical staff, though. He seeks instead to win back his place through his level of performance. "But I do not want to impose my place, I want to deserve it through my performances with Botafogo," he explained.
Ziyech: I did not come to Brazil to end my career
Despite reaching the age of 33 and signing a contract with Botafogo that runs until the end of 2028, Ziyech refused to treat his move to Brazil as a step that paves the way for the end of his professional career.
His ambitions are still great, the Moroccan player confirmed. He came to Botafogo in search of success and trophies, not to spend the final years of his career before retirement.
"I did not come to Brazil to end my football career, quite the opposite," he said. "I signed a contract with Botafogo until the end of 2028 because I still have the ambition and the desire to win."
"I want to play, to score goals, to create them, and to help the team achieve its goals," he added. "I know what I can offer. Now it is up to me to prove that on the pitch."
Thus Ziyech begins a new chapter in his career from Brazil. He leaves behind the Wydad experience and bets on recovering his best levels with Botafogo, with the door to the Morocco national team still open to him but under one clear condition: that the pitch speaks on his behalf.
Botafogo will soon play their postponed match from the twenty-first round of the Brazilian league against Grêmio. It is the first of the stages during which Ziyech is expected to begin presenting his credentials to the fans of his new team.
