Belhanda: The "2018 World Cup" generation is exceptional... and I felt sad after being excluded from Regragui's list.
Younes Belhanda, the Moroccan national team player and midfielder for Qatari club Al-Siliyah, revealed details about his football career, starting from his beginnings at the Montpellier academy in France, through his experiences in Ukraine, Germany, and Turkey, to his time with the Moroccan national team, where he reflected on his memories of the 2018 World Cup and his exclusion from the "Atlas Lions" squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In an interview with "Hesport," Belhanda explained that his early days in football were with the youth teams of Montpellier, where he naturally progressed to the first team, noting that this phase was crucial in shaping him as a player due to the experiences he gained, which later helped him move to higher levels.
The Moroccan international mentioned that he decided to leave Montpellier in the summer of 2013 after feeling he had achieved significant accomplishments with the team and needed a new challenge, pointing out that he received several offers, including one from Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv and another from Italian side Inter Milan.
He added that the offer from Dynamo Kyiv was the best financially, along with the team's participation in the UEFA Champions League, which encouraged him to choose the Ukrainian destination, confirming that if he could turn back time, he would make the same decision.
Belhanda denied rumors that circulated at the time about receiving an offer from AC Milan, clarifying that the actual Italian offer came from Inter Milan, while he ultimately chose to move to Dynamo Kyiv.
From Kyiv to Galatasaray
After his experience in Ukraine, Belhanda moved to German club Schalke 04, a phase he described as important as he played alongside prominent names and delivered good performances, but his continued stay with the team was hindered by the financial aspects related to purchasing his contract from Dynamo Kyiv.
He explained that the German club could not finalize his transfer due to financial conditions, before he returned to the French league with Nice, a stint he considers one of the best in his career.
The Moroccan player confirmed that the 2016 season with Nice was his best individually, noting that he performed well in a team that included several standout names.
Among those names was Italian Mario Balotelli, with whom Belhanda shared a strong bond both on and off the pitch, describing him as: "Balotelli is crazy, he does strange things, but he has a good heart and is a beautiful person who wishes well for everyone."
He added that his relationship with the Italian striker continues to this day, before they later reunited at Turkish club Adana Demirspor.
After that, the Moroccan international had a lengthy spell with Galatasaray, which he described as exceptional due to the passionate atmosphere surrounding the club and Turkish football in general.
He explained that Galatasaray fans pay attention to every detail of players' lives both on and off the pitch, emphasizing that he experienced a different atmosphere there compared to other stages in his career.
His time with the Turkish club ended when the management decided to terminate his contract due to comments he made, a decision that led him to appeal to FIFA.
Belhanda confirmed that he later won the case, stressing that the comments he made did not warrant the termination of his contract in that manner.
Balotelli, Adana, and the Qatari League
Belhanda spoke about his experience with Adana Demirspor, considering that the team had an exceptional season after finishing fourth in the Turkish league despite competing against major clubs like Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and Galatasaray.
He explained that Adana was a newly promoted team from the second division, yet it managed to achieve unexpected results and numbers, noting that he was among those who helped bring Mario Balotelli to the team.
He believed that having a player of Balotelli's caliber and experience added significant value to Adana, given his expertise and attacking abilities.
After his time in Turkey, Belhanda moved to the Qatari league, explaining that he received a call from Al-Shamal and preferred to take on the challenge, especially since Qatar has become a destination for many players, in addition to his admiration for the living conditions there.
The Moroccan player confirmed that he intends to continue his career on the pitch for several more years while also starting to prepare for life after retirement.
He added that he is currently working on obtaining coaching diplomas, explaining that he aspires to become a coach in the future and to remain close to football after his playing career ends.
World Cup Tears and the 2018 Generation
Regarding his career with the Moroccan national team, Belhanda recalled memories of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, confirming that he cried twice due to the elimination in the group stage.
He noted that the Moroccan team played well against Iran, Portugal, and Spain, considering that the elimination was painful given the level the "Atlas Lions" displayed.
Belhanda described the 2018 team as a "golden generation," featuring prominent names in various positions, such as Karim El Ahmadi and Mbark Boussoufa in midfield, Mehdi Benatia in defense, and Nabil Dirar and Nordin Amrabat.
He added that French coach Hervé Renard believed that the strength of the team lay in ball possession and intelligent pressing, which reflected on the team's style of play during that period.
He also recalled the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, considering it one of the phases that left a negative impact on him, as the national team entered the competition with a strong desire to achieve a significant result before exiting early.
On his absence from the 2022 World Cup, Belhanda confirmed that being excluded from the final list chosen by Walid Regragui was one of the most difficult moments in his international career.
He added: "I cried when Walid Regragui dropped my name from the list," noting that he was experiencing one of his best seasons in Turkey with Adana Demirspor and felt he was in top form.
He explained that he received one call-up and played about 30 minutes only, before finding himself out of the final World Cup roster, which was a significant disappointment for him given the level he was performing at that time.
Regarding his relationship with Moroccan football, Belhanda confirmed that he follows some matches of the national league, expressing his connection to Raja Casablanca.
He added: "I love Raja a lot, I am a true Rajawi," explaining that he respects Wydad Casablanca and is happy with the progress Moroccan football has made in recent years.
He noted that he has friends associated with Wydad, such as Adel Hermach and Hakim Ziyech, emphasizing that his emotional attachment to Raja does not prevent him from respecting his traditional rival and following the development of Moroccan football.
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