Manchester United star suffers fresh injury scare in double blow before World Cup

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·8 June 2026

Manchester United star suffers fresh injury scare in double blow before World Cup

Status for tournament uncertain after blow suffered in US warm-up friendly

Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has suffered an injury scare just days before the start of the World Cup.

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The versatile defender started at left-back for Morocco in their final pre-tournament warm-up friendly against Norway in New York on Sunday, but lasted just 29 minutes before being replaced by Youssef Belammari.

Mazraoui suffered a shoulder issue and looks set to undergo tests to determine the severity, with Mohamed Ouahbi’s side due to open their Group C campaign against record five-time World Cup winners Brazil in New Jersey on Saturday (June 13).

Morocco then face Scotland in Boston on June 19, before meeting minnows Haiti in Atlanta on June 24.

Worrying sight: Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui went off injured as Morocco drew with Norway

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To make matters worse for the Atlas Lions, Abde Ezzalzouli was also injured against Norway in a game that ended 1-1 after an early goal from Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz was cancelled out with 15 minutes to go by Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

Real Betis winger Ezzalzouli - formerly of Barcelona - sustained a knee problem and was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi at half-time at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Like Mazraoui, he will now undergo medical examinations to determine if he will be fit to face Brazil next weekend.

Mazraoui’s new Manchester United team-mate Ederson will be part of the Brazil squad, having been called up by head coach Carlo Ancelotti as a replacement for the injured Wesley.

Morocco head into their sixth World Cup with high expectations, having become the first African nation ever to reach the semi-finals four years ago, beating the likes of Belgium, Spain and Portugal in Qatar before falling to France in the last four. They lost the third-place play-off to Croatia.

Morocco are technically the reigning champions of Africa, having been belatedly declared winners of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil back in March after Senegal - who beat them 1-0 after extra time in a chaotic final in Rabat two months earlier - were controversially stripped of their title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), having briefly walked off the pitch following the award of a controversial late penalty to Morocco.

Senegal have since defiantly paraded the trophy and appealed against CAF’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). They are also at the World Cup finals in North America this summer and compete in Group I, alongside France, Norway and Iraq.