Ahly's Moroccan striker Walid Azaro has been called up by Morocco for the first time since last June, as coach Herve Renard named him in the squad that will prepare this summer’s World Cup.

Morocco will face Serbia in a friendly game on the 23rd of this month in Italy before meeting Uzbekistan four days later in Casablanca in a World Cup warm-up.

Azaro produced many fine displays with Ahly this season, scoring 17 goals to top the Egyptian League’s top scorers list.

He is a key player in Hossam El-Badry's squad, who said several times that his Moroccan striker deserves to have a starting role with the Atlas Lions.

Azaro's last appearance with the Moroccan national team was on June 2017, when he played 74 minutes against Cameroon in the Nations Cup qualifiers.

The 22-year-old joined Ahly from Morocco's Difaa Al-Jadida for $1.4 million last summer. He struggled in his debut with the Red Devils, and was criticised for wasting numerous clear-cut chances before establishing himself with the team.

Azaro has three caps with the Atlas Lions without scoring so far.

Morocco will play in the World Cup in group B alongside Spain, Portugal and Iran.