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Rabat – Spain is stepping up its efforts to secure the international future of Thiago Pitarch, the 18-year-old Real Madrid midfielder who is quickly becoming one of the club’s most promising young talents.
Although Pitarch was born in Fuenlabrada, a municipality in the Madrid region, he’s also eligible to play for Morocco’s national football team through his grandfather, who comes from Al Hoceima. That family connection has put the young midfielder at the center of a growing tug-of-war between the two national teams.
Recent reports from Spanish media outlet El Mundo suggest that Pitarch and his family currently lean toward representing the Spain national football team.
To definitively settle the matter in Spain’s favor, the Royal Spanish Football Federation is planning to include the teenager in the Spain Under-21 squad during the March 2026 international window. This move is a way to bring the young player closer to the senior national team setup and strengthen Spain’s hold on him.
⚪🚨𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐎 𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐀 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓! 🇪🇸
Thiago Made his First Start Last night 89% Pass Acc Created The Only Chance in The Game🌟
Pitarch Is Future Of Real Madrid😮💨pic.twitter.com/zd5vHGqntW
— The Stat Guy (@The_Stat_Guy_10) March 3, 2026
Morocco still pushing for a switch
Despite Spain’s efforts, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation has not backed away from the race.
According to those same reports, Moroccan officials recently reached out to Pitarch’s father and discussed the possibility of bringing the midfielder directly into the senior national team setup. The idea would be to convince him to represent Morocco before he plays an official competitive match for Spain’s first team.
Pitarch’s rapid progress at Real Madrid has played a major role in the growing attention around him. Working under youth coach Álvaro Arbeloa, the midfielder has taken important steps forward during the 2025-26 season.
He recently started in two straight La Liga matches, including a strong performance against RC Celta de Vigo.
The teenager has also gained valuable experience in the UEFA Champions League, coming off the bench in matches against SL Benfica and Manchester City, including Real Madrid’s 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
His calmness on the ball has impressed coaches, particularly in European competition, where he has completed around 95 percent of his passes.
Pitarch has already represented Spain at youth level, playing for the country’s Under-19 and Under-20 teams. However, his international future is not completely settled yet.
Under FIFA rules, the decision will only become final once he plays an official competitive match for Spain’s senior national team.
Until then, both Spain and Morocco will continue to monitor the situation closely as the young midfielder’s career keeps moving forward.
