'I was forced out of Man Utd but boss wanted me to stay – now I'm in last 16 of World Cup'

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Two years after his Manchester United spell, Sofyan Amrabat may still reflect on his Old Trafford experience with a hint of regret. Nevertheless, he has plenty of reasons to feel satisfied as he gears up to help Morocco in their last-16 mission at World Cup 2026.

The Atlas Lions are set to take on Canada in Houston on Saturday as they aim to become the first African side to lift a World Cup . Amrabat has appeared in just one of Morocco's four matches at the tournament so far, completing the full 90 minutes in a 4-2 victory over Haiti during the group phase.

Erik ten Hag secured Amrabat's services on loan from Fiorentina, having previously collaborated at Utrecht when the midfielder was still a youngster. And the Morocco midfielder revealed Ten Hag actually wanted to prolong his United spell beyond his season-long loan from Florence.

"I have a special relationship with Ten Hag since I was a 20-year-old at Utrecht," he told the Daily Mail in 2024 following his move to Fenerbache. Amrabat, 29, was speaking prior to facing United in the Europa League at the time.

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"He (Ten Hag) wanted to keep me this summer so I wish him the best but not for Thursday," he added before his reunion with his former club. "I hope they lose."

They ultimately didn't as United drew 1-1 in Istanbul on their way to that season's Europa League final. Nevertheless, one can understand Amrabat's stance in harbouring some degree of bitterness over his fleeting spell in England.

Amrabat proceeded to drop a hint regarding who might have been behind his United exit. When questioned further about his departure, he said: "[You'll] have to ask [United's director of football] Mr. [Jason] Wilcox."

The engine-room technician, who spent last season on loan at Real Betis, assisted Ten Hag in lifting the FA Cup during his sole campaign at the club. United defeated Manchester City in a Wembley derby, with Amrabat featuring for the full 90 minutes.

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Yet the Premier League giants opted against making his loan permanent for the remarkably reasonable sum of £21million. Instead, they subsequently paid Paris Saint-Germain £51m to sign Manuel Ugarte, who now appears unlikely to remain at Old Trafford much longer.

The sole factor that might keep Ugarte at United is the serious knee injury he recently sustained while on World Cup duty . As though Uruguay's group-stage elimination wasn't agonising enough, Ugarte now faces an extended rehabilitation period that could scupper any departure this summer.

In contrast, Amrabat's World Cup ambitions remain very much intact. Morocco recently overcame the Netherlands on penalties to secure a last-16 clash with co-hosts Canada, having already held Brazil to a 1-1 draw earlier in the tournament.

His contribution may not have been the most prominent but the fierce midfield competition in Mohamed Ouahbi's squad explains why. Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi is widely regarded as one of the finest young playmakers on the planet and has forged a formidable partnership with Roma's Neil El Aynaoui and Girona star Azzedine Ounahi.

A win over Canada would likely set up a quarter-final showdown with France , which could prove a step too far for Morocco. Nevertheless, this summer has already shown there is plenty of life beyond Old Trafford following Amrabat's path of international progress in recent years.

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