Morocco FA chief challenges Lamine Yamal: 'Let's meet in the World Cup final to see if you chose right'

The challenge

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, used an interview on Aljazeera360 to rekindle the debate over Lamine Yamal's international future.

“I hope we meet Spain in the World Cup final to see if he really made the right choice.”

He added that the comment was tongue-in-cheek. The remarks came a day before Spain's opening match against Cape Verde, for which Yamal is not fully fit.

Yamal's decision

Born in Spain to a Moroccan father, the Barcelona winger chose to represent Spain over Morocco, making his senior debut on 8 September 2023 against Georgia at 16. The FRMF held several meetings with the player and his family in Morocco and Spain, presenting their project. But as Nasser Larguet, former technical director, later noted, by the time Morocco approached, Yamal was already firmly embedded in the Spanish system and moving to the senior side.

Morocco's recruitment strength

Lekjaa argued that Morocco's ability to attract players with dual nationality rests on three pillars: modern training infrastructure, an emotional bond with the parents' homeland, and a stable international project that guarantees regular participation in African tournaments and World Cups.

“We are a country that offers the opportunity to compete regularly in African tournaments and participate in World Cups. That stable international project attracts players.”

The most vivid example is Brahim Díaz, the Real Madrid playmaker who has become Morocco's chief attacking threat.

Africa Cup defence

In the same interview, Lekjaa dismissed allegations that Morocco benefited from refereeing favouritism in the Africa Cup final, a match Senegal abandoned in protest at a late penalty before the Confederation of African Football awarded the title to Morocco.

“If Morocco had benefited from refereeing favouritism, we wouldn't have waited until the 90th minute to make the difference.”

He challenged anyone to prove the penalty was not valid, offering to renounce the title if they could.