Real Madrid striker Ibrahim Diaz, who holds Spanish citizenship, joined the Moroccan national football team for the first time to play two friendly matches against Angola and Mauritania under the leadership of coach Walid Regragui. Spanish newspapers attributed the decision of Diaz, who was born in Malaga to a Spanish mother and a Moroccan father, to join the ranks of the “Atlas Lions” because he was “ignored” by the Spanish Federation and the “La Roja” team.
Published on: 03/14/2024 – 16:44
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For the first time, it was called Ibrahim Diaz attacker real madrid Who holds Spanish citizenship, will join the Moroccan national football team on Wednesday to play two friendly matches against… Angola And Mauritania, led by the coach Walid Al-RakrakiAfter he preferred to defend the colors of the “Atlas Lions” because he was “ignored” by the Spanish Federation and the national team.
Diaz (24 years old) will start playing with Morocco on March 22 in a friendly match against Angola, instead of Spain, which he represented once in a 4-0 friendly win over Lithuania in 2021 in a match in which the young team under 21 years old was called up, because the players… The first team was isolated due to the “Covid-19” pandemic.
The newspaper “Marca” reported on Monday that Diaz chose to represent Morocco because he was “ignored” by the Spanish Federation and the “La Roja” national team.
For its part, Radio Cadena said that “he was not contacted, neither by Luis Enrique nor by Luis de la Fuente (the former and current coaches of the La Roja national team).”
According to the AS newspaper, Diaz made his final decision after the Spanish Federation refused to inform him, before the rest of the other international players, if his name was included in the national team’s list for the two friendly matches against Colombia on March 22 in London and Brazil on March 23 in Madrid.
La Roja coach De La Fuente said Monday in response to a question about the issue during his participation in a forum organized at a university, “I respect his position. Everyone is free to make their decisions.”
He added, “There are three criteria for selection: the first, that you are qualified to play with the national team, the second, the desire to do so, and the third, that the coach summons the player. But the most important thing is that the player desires to do so, without requirements or conditions, in order to ensure Equality of rights and duties with the rest of the group.”
“He has a strong personality”
It is noteworthy that Diaz, who was born in Malaga to a Spanish mother and a Moroccan father, began his professional career with Manchester City The Englishman in 2016 at the age of 17, but he did not get a great opportunity, so he only played 15 matches, 5 of which were in the league in which he won the title.
The striker moved to Real Madrid, where he played one season (20 matches in all competitions), before moving on loan to Milan The Italian star shone for three seasons and won the league title with the Rossoneri in 2021-2022, scoring 18 goals in various competitions.
Diaz, who plays as an attacking midfielder as well as a winger, returned to Real after the striker moved Karim Benzema To the Saudi Al-Ittihad, he got a greater opportunity, scoring 8 goals and making 4 assists during 32 matches in all competitions so far.
Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, Real’s coach, said after his team’s victory over German Leipzig with an unanswered goal scored by Dias in a wonderful way, on March 13, in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final (a 1-1 draw in the second leg), “Dias has become stronger and has a stronger personality since he returned.” From Milan. He did not play much at the beginning of the current season, but his mark is clear when he participates, and today he is gaining more confidence.”
After the match, the newspaper “Marca” described Dias as a “genius”, noting that “he is becoming a global star and may be called up to the (Spanish) national team in March.”
Elias Ben Sghir (19 years old), who plays for Monaco in France, was also summoned to the list published by the Moroccan Football Federation, noting that he had previously represented the French national team under the age of 18.
In addition to them, the Moroccan national team roster witnessed the return of the brilliant Emirati club Al Ain striker Sufyan Rahimi, who scored three goals in Al Ain’s last two matches in the AFC Champions League, contributing to its qualification to the semi-finals at the expense of Saudi club Al Nassr.
On the other hand, defender and captain Romain Saiss (Al-Shabab, Saudi Arabia), midfielders Salim Amalah (Valencia, Spain) and Amine Harith (Marseille, France), were absent, in addition to Bayern Munich defender Nassir Mazraoui.
The Atlas Lions will play Angola on March 22, then Mauritania four days later.
Coach Walid Regragui faced criticism for some of his choices after the disappointing exit from the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast at the beginning of the year, but the Moroccan Federation renewed confidence in him to continue at the head of the technical management of the Atlas Lions.
After reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under the leadership of Regragui, in a precedent for African and Arab teams, the Lions were unable to exceed the eighth final of the African Nations Championship and were eliminated by South Africa 0-2, which left great disappointment in Morocco.
France 24/AFP
