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Rabat – Former Dutch player Ibrahim Afellay has emphasized that he will be rooting for the Atlas Lions during their Round of 32 World Cup match against the Netherlands.
The former Netherlands player received criticism for picking the Atlas Lions over the Oranje, with international media describing his support for his country of origin as controversial.
Afellay made his remarks during a program on Dutch broadcaster NOS, saying that his heart is with Morocco.
“In this case, in this match, my heart is with Morocco. Simply because my roots are in Morocco, my parents come from there, and my family lives there. What more explanation do I need to give?” he said.
He added that he is grateful to have grown up in the Netherlands, stating that he was selected for the Dutch national team because of his own achievements and not because he is a “nice guy.”
“In the end, when I am asked a question, I speak from the heart. After the match, you’ll be happy for whoever wins. But once again, where my heart and my preference lie is with Morocco,” he said.
The former PSV Eindhoven player also played for FC Barcelona and appeared with the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup.
Morocco is facing the Netherlands tonight at 2 a.m. Moroccan time. This is not the first time that news outlets or critics have targeted Morocco during the ongoing World Cup, with many fulminating against the choice of Moroccan players born and educated abroad but opting to represent their ancestral roots over their adopted homes.
Many reports have criticized Morocco for having several foreign-born players, forgetting that identity and roots remain part of every player’s DNA, regardless of where they were born.
Morocco has been strengthening its ranks with international players who chose to represent the North African country and, together with homegrown players, have achieved milestones both in this World Cup and the previous one in Qatar.
