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Brahim Diaz has made an official decision to play for Morocco’s national team, according to Spanish sports newspaper Marca.
The much-anticipated announcement follows months of conjecture and rumors about which colors Brahim Diaz would finally represent.
Renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has always supported Brahim’s decision. “Brahim Díaz has decided to represent Morocco and accept their official call,” he stated.
“Brahim didn’t receive any notification of a call from Spain and his decision is final: he’s gonna play for Morocco,” he said.
Brahim’s decision comes after years of continuous attempts by the Moroccan football association to persuade the Malage native to play for his ancestral homeland.
On the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Russia, Morocco’s then-head coach Hervé made multiple attempts to persuade Brahim Diaz to play for Morocco.
Renard informed Brahim that if he wanted to play for Morocco, he would be a key member of the Moroccan squad as it prepared to compete in the World Cup.
However, it proved ineffective. Brahim was confident that he would only represent Spain at the international level, thus he declined the Moroccan invitation.
On the eve of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui attempted to persuade Brahim Diaz to play for the country after Amine Harit’s injury. However, Brahim declined the offer, believing that his time with Spain would come.
The Madrid-based Marca expressed regret for Brahim’s decision to represent Morocco rather than Spain, blaming it on Spain’s head coach Luis de Lafuente’s refusal to contact Brahim Diaz to reassure him that he will have a spot in the Spanish national team and that he will rely on him in upcoming continental and global competitions such as the Eurocup and the World Cup.
Brahim Diaz to represent the Moroccan National Team as RFEF
Spain has lost Brahim, which is a shame, according to the Spanish daily.
“And it will not be because of the boy’s intention, he waited until the last minute for the country of his birth (Málaga) and where his father (Melilla) and his mother (Málaga) were born,” the statement said.
The Spanish newspapers compared the Moroccan federation’s tenacity and effort to persuade Brahim Diaz to represent Morocco with Spain’s apathy and Lafuente’s complete misunderstanding of the Madrid talent.
“Morocco has put all its efforts into Brahim, something that Spain has not done,” Marca said in a statement.
“Yes, Luis de la Fuente, La Roja’ coach, has always said that he had BD in mind, something that has not translated into a call up or a call of affection to the boy or a contact, even if it was ephemeral, with the player,” he said.
