Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has expressed pride in securing the international allegiance of Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz, insisting the 25-year-old could well have featured for Spain this season.
Speaking to AS, Regragui opened up about the delicate courtship process, describing it as “a very difficult decision” for Diaz, who was born in Spain and had not spent much time in Morocco.
Brahim Díaz always for the fans. ❤️🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/uRLTbki8PN
— Brahim Díaz Team (@brahimdiazteam) April 23, 2025
It was no easy sway. When asked how many visits it took for him to convince the player, Regragui said, “A lot.” He referenced the first time he went to see the player in Milan. “It was a good first meeting, no doors were closed, and I understood that it was a very difficult decision.
The Morocco boss continued: “He liked that we understood his need for time to reflect on the project. He also appreciated the affection we showed him. It wasn’t just about guaranteeing him an important role, but also about giving him time to adapt to a new team, to a new culture, for a player born in Spain who hadn’t been to Morocco often.”
Regragui revealed that Diaz toured national facilities and visited Rabat, Marrakech and Tangier “to feel the country” before making his final call.
“I went to Madrid twice, once with the president of the Federation. The second time, again with him, and a third, alone.”
The Morocco boss was also quick to refute suggestions that Diaz turned to the Atlas Lions due to being overlooked by Spain.
“The beautiful thing is that he chose Morocco at a time when he could still play for Spain,” Regragui said. “People said that he chose Morocco because he couldn’t play for Spain, but the truth is that he did it at a time when he was doing well at Real Madrid, he was making the difference, and he was among (Luis) De la Fuente’s pre-call-ups.”
“I admit, I was scared. It’s the most difficult decision for a player. The Moroccan people will always be grateful to him.”
Brahim has been in fine form since pledging allegiance to the Atlas Lions. In 10 games he played for Morocco, Brahim scored 8 goals, with a hat-trick in Morocco’s 7-0 win against Lesotho during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
