Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz has chosen to represent Morocco over Spain.
Diaz, 24, has been capped only once by the Spanish senior side — scoring during a 4-0 friendly win over Lithuania in 2021 — meaning he is free to switch international allegiances.
The switch has not been made official yet with some formalities still to be completed. As part of the process, the Moroccan FA has to submit a request to FIFA for Diaz’s change of nationality.
Diaz was born in Malaga but is eligible to represent Morocco through his father.
Morocco have been trying for five years to convince Diaz to play for them, with the team’s head coach travelling to Milan and Madrid about five times this season. The Moroccan FA president, Fouzi Lekjaa, and politicians from the country have also visited Diaz.
The Spanish FA says it has not formally been informed of Diaz’s decision to represent Morocco. The Morrocan FA has been contacted for comment.
FIFA rules state that players can switch international allegiance as long as they have made fewer than three senior appearances for one nation before the age of 21 and have not played for them for at least three years.
Diaz spent time in the Manchester City academy before joining Madrid in 2019. He featured 21 times in 18 months before moving to AC Milan on loan in the summer of 2020.
Diaz starred during his three seasons in Italy, registering 18 goals and 15 assists in 124 matches. He also helped Milan to the Scudetto in the 2021-22 season.
This season, Diaz has scored eight times in 32 appearances for Madrid, though he has more regularly been used as a substitute by head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Morocco have been coached by Walid Regragui since August 2022 and reached the semi-final of the World Cup a few months after he took charge. They lost to South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 earlier this year.
Regragui’s side face Angola and Mauritania in friendlies later this month, with the coach expected to announce his squad for those games next week.
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