Bosnia And Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
South Korea

Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz 'decides to represent Morocco over Spain'

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 March 2024, 18:34
Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz has decided to switch international allegiances from Morocco to Spain, according to multiple reports.

The 24-year-old, who was born in Malaga to a Spanish mother and a Moroccan father, has only been capped once by the Spanish national team - scoring in a 4-0 friendly victory over Lithuania in June 2021.

Diaz had previously represented Spain from Under-17 to Under-21 level, making a total of 25 appearances and scoring five goals.

Although Diaz has dreamt of representing Spain at senior level, the attacker is said to have grown frustrated of waiting for a call-up from national team manager Luis de la Fuente.

According to The Athletic, Morocco have attempted to convince Diaz to play for them for the last five years, and the African nation have now managed to persuade the Real Madrid man to make the switch.

The report adds that the Spanish FA are yet to be formally notified of Diaz's decision to represent Morocco, while the Moroccan FA will be required to submit a request to FIFA to change the player's nationality.

Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Moroccan FA, as well as politicians from the country are said to have already visited Diaz to discuss his international future.

Despite making his aforementioned debut for Spain against Lithuania nearly three years ago, FIFA rules state that any player can switch their allegiance as long as they have made less than three senior appearances for one nation before the age of 21 and have not played for that country for at least three years.

According to ESPN, Diaz has been left disappointed by how the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have dealt with his situation, considering that they have acted differently towards other players.

ESPN sources state that the RFEF pushed to persuade Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal to represent Spain instead of Morocco, and sent high-ranking officials to meet the teenager in 2022.

The RFEF believe they have treated every player the same, and manager De la Fuente has been left is somewhat surprised by Diaz's decision.

"Everyone is free to make their own decisions," De la Fuente told reporters on Monday as quoted by ESPN. "For me, there are three steps to be called up: firstly, that you are eligible, secondly that you want to play for the national team and thirdly that the coach selects you.

"I have not spoken with [Diaz]. I either call players up or not and the [players] do what they have to do. I worked with him a lot [with the Under-21s] and I hold him in high esteem and have a lot of respect for him."

Morocco, who have recently risen to 12th in the FIFA world rankings, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time in their history in 2022, before being knocked out in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations last month.

It remains to be seen whether Morocco boss Walid Regragui will be able to call up Diaz later this month ahead of friendly fixtures against Angola and Mauritania.

Following a successful three-year loan spell an AC Milan, Diaz has since become a first-team regular at Real Madrid this season, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in 32 appearances.

Show more

Top News

10 February 2025 talksport.com The Premier League returns this week after the conclusion of the FA Cup fourth round, and talkSPORT has all the latest. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea's Joao Felix reportedly offered his services back to Barcelona before being loaned to AC Milan for the second half of the season. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Ange Postecoglou has declared there is an agenda against him and his Tottenham side following their latest setback. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid centre-back Raul Asencio has been the subject of a €40m (£33.3m) offer from Premier League upstarts Nottingham Forest, according to a report. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Marcus Rashford received a message of support from another Manchester United exile following his Aston Villa debut. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City winger Savinho is already fulfilling some of his "massive potential" at the Etihad Stadium and rarely makes the wrong decision in the final third, according to ex-Citizens winger Shaun-Wright Phillips. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Trabzonspor vs. Eyupspor (Monday, 5.00pm) 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig surprise package Eyupspor will look to strengthen their grip on fourth place when they travel to face a revitalised Trabzonspor at Papara Park on Monday. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have been forced to abandon their pursuit of defender Nuno Mendes and look elsewhere after he signed a contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ange Postecoglou refused to comment on his future in the aftermath of his side's 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday evening. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have been boosted in their pursuit of Matheus Cunha as his new Wolverhampton Wanderers contract reportedly contains a release clause. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk League One side Exeter City will be looking to cause a giant killing in the FA Cup fourth round when the host Nottingham Forest at St James Park on Tuesday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fermin Lopez both scored and was sent off in Barcelona's 4-1 victory over Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday night, with Hansi Flick's side pulling themselves back into the title race. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Frank Lampard's Coventry City will hope to bounce back from FA Cup disappointment when they host Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday in the Championship at the Coventry Arena. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Jamie O'Hara believes Ange Postecoglou's time at Tottenham has run its course. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has delivered an update on Joe Gomez's condition after the defender was taken off injured in Sunday's 1-0 FA Cup loss to Plymouth Argyle. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Jose Mourinho not-so subtly took aim at Galatasaray after their opponents stunningly walked off the pitch following a controversial penalty. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa survived a late scare to march into the fifth round of the FA Cup as they eliminated Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Sunday evening. 9 February 2025 talksport.com An unruly fan almost incurred the wrath of Dion Dublin during the half-time break of Aston Villa's 2-1 win over Tottenham in the FA Cup. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Rangers have sunk to an unthinkable low as a botched stoppage time penalty sealed a 1-0 loss to Queen's Park at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has fired a warning shot to Manchester City and Real Madrid over their pursuits of Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Mansfield Town will be aiming to avoid a sixth straight defeat in League One when they continue their campaign with a trip to Leyton Orient on Tuesday night. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Rangers suffered an unwanted club first after be knocked out in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup by second-tier side Queen's Park, losing 1-0 at Ibrox on Sunday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly opened talks over a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund attacker Jamie Gittens, whom the German giants want a staggering £83m for. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Looking to turn their fortunes around, struggling Tranmere Rovers welcome Fleetwood Town for their rescheduled matchday 16 League Two fixture this Tuesday. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttering league leaders Walsall will aim to rediscover their spark when they welcome Gillingham for their rescheduled matchday 16 encounter in League Two. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong could reportedly perform a U-turn on his future and sign a new contract with the Blaugrana amid links with Liverpool. 9 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have joined Chelsea, Manchester City and Leeds United in an unwanted FA Cup club with their shock 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Nikola Katic put in a monster man-of-the-match performance to dump out Liverpool in the FA Cup. 9 February 2025 talksport.com Liverpool's hopes of winning a historic quadruple were shattered by a shock defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.
Something went wrong! Don't hesitate to let us know if you need any help.