Rabat – Moroccan international Abdelkabir Abqar was caught telling Barcelona star Lamine Yamal that he “wants to play for Morocco” during Saturday’s La Liga meeting between Barcelona and Getafe.
The exchange initially went largely unnoticed during the match but was later revealed by Movistar Plus program El Día Después, whose cameras followed a confrontation involving Yamal, Abqar and referee Jesús Gil Manzano.
The incident began after Barcelona forward Anthony Gordon challenged Getafe goalkeeper David Soria near the edge of the penalty area. Gil Manzano awarded a free kick to Getafe, prompting protests from several Barcelona players.
Yamal approached the referee to question the decision, arguing that Gordon had managed to shoot before the contact.
Abqar then moved alongside the Barcelona winger and repeatedly told him: “Lamine, Lamine, you want to play for Morocco. Lamine, you want to.”
Yamal attempted to move the Moroccan defender away with his arm while continuing his discussion with the referee. Abqar followed him and repeated the remark before Yamal eventually walked away without becoming involved in a longer confrontation.
Yamal’s Morocco connection
Abqar’s comments were a reference to Yamal’s Moroccan heritage and the international decision he faced early in his career.
The Barcelona forward was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother and was eligible to represent Morocco before committing his senior international future to Spain.
Yamal said when receiving his first senior Spain call-up in 2023 that he had always wanted to play for the Spanish national team, having represented the country throughout its youth categories.
He later acknowledged that he had considered representing Morocco, while speaking warmly about his connection to the country. “Deep down, I thought about playing for Morocco, but despite all the love and respect I have for Morocco, I always wanted to play in the Euros,” he said in a 2025 interview.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation had previously stated that it respected Yamal’s decision to represent Spain and rejected reports claiming it had continued trying to persuade him to switch allegiance after his senior international debut.
Saturday’s match ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory for Barcelona, with Gordon, Gabriel Jesus and Jules Kounde scoring at Spotify Camp Nou. The result gave Hansi Flick’s side an eighth consecutive La Liga win to start the season.
