Rabat – The Spanish football federation is determined to not offer Moroccan-Spanish football player Lamine Yamal any chance at opting to play for Morocco.
The young football prodigy is traveling to join the Spanish national team despite his injury, as playing with the team for the third time would mean he can no longer choose to represent Morocco.
Yamal was sidelined due to an injury in his left leg. While the player should be benched until Barcelona’s game against Athletic on the 22nd, Spain might give him some minutes against Norway to prevent him from playing for Morocco, Spanish sports-focused media Mundo Deportivo reports.
According to FIFA regulations, he needs to miss a third match with the Spanish national team to be unable to switch to another national team unless he goes three years without playing for anyone.
Earlier this month, the 16-year-old footballer announced that he’s choosing to represent Spain on the international stage.
Born to a Moroccan father, he was on the radar of the FRMF, which had been actively pursuing him to join Morocco’s national team. He is the youngest La Liga scorer in history.
Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui had warned against exerting pressure on the young football player, saying that “the essential thing is that the player, as well as his father, are Moroccans. No need to put pressure on the player and his decisions.”
Regragui’s remark may have been a hit at the intensive Spanish media campaign that was attempting to pressure the young player to join Spain.
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