Moroccan football federation backs dual‑national players as World Cup looms

Rabie Takassa, the Moroccan Football Federation’s European scouting coordinator, explained how his network identifies players of Moroccan heritage across Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and other countries, contributing to Morocco’s strong World Cup squad.

Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa addressed the high‑profile case of Lamine Yamal, a Spanish‑born talent of Moroccan descent who chose to represent Spain. Lekjaa said the federation respected Yamal’s decision and emphasized that a player’s national team choice does not diminish his ties to Morocco, adding a light‑hearted comment about not knowing any Spaniard named “Jamel.”

Both officials highlighted the broader theme of integration, noting that dual‑national players are fully integrated into their societies while maintaining roots in Morocco, and they expressed optimism about potential match‑ups against France or Spain in the tournament.