Lamine Yamal’s rejection of Morocco continues to cause headlines.
The Barcelona winger was chased heavily by his father’s home country before declaring for Spain, who he played with at all youth levels.
Both parties have shown class throughout the whole affair, but latest comments from the president of the Moroccan football federation [FRMF] haven’t gone down well in Spain.
President Fouzi Lekjaa spoke about the rise of the country’s football team, but mocked the Spanish pronunciation of Lamine’s Arabic name.
Lekjaa’s comments on Lamine’s name and choice
“I don’t know any Spaniard named Jamel,” he said with a laugh.
“We respected Jamel’s choice, we never questioned it. We never changed our behaviour towards Jamel, nor his family.”
He added that the family are always welcome in Morocco, saying: “They will always be welcome here.”
Lekjaa then went on to cite more successful examples of players born outside of the country picking Morocco, such as Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi.
“The FRMF refuses to let frustration or pride influence the selection of dual nationals,” he explained.
“The observation is much broader: the Kingdom’s sporting project is now so robust that it is becoming the norm.
“Seeing a talented player of Moroccan origin contribute to the success of a neighbouring and friendly nation like Spain is also, in my view, part of the universality of football.”
Lekjaa has always shown class over the subject, but some of his jokes often backfire into headlines.
Lekjaa’s challenge for Lamine at the World Cup
Speaking before the World Cup, he said on Aljazeera360: “He is a great player, I honestly don’t know how else to say it more clearly.
“Regarding Lamine Yamal: we remain silent because his father’s side of the family is Moroccan, that’s true. We respect him.
“We respect the other national teams and the choices they make. We don’t want to debate those decisions any further.
“More than anything, we always wish him well because we consider him Moroccan through his father.”
He then explained their approach, fending off any criticism.
Lekjaa continued: “The issue you’re raising actually proves the opposite of what some people claim – that we pressure this player or that player.
“You can talk to me about footballing matters, about the sporting project, about whether the project is convincing or not.
“But personal convictions and individual choices are not something we interfere with.
“During the last Ramadan, I visited Valladolid and spoke with the club president. We spoke openly.
“We presented our football project: ‘This is what we want in Morocco, this is what we have achieved and what we want to continue achieving’.
“If a player is convinced – and believes there is a place and an opportunity for him – then he is welcome. He makes his decision.”
Lekjaa then set out a challenge for Lamine at the World Cup.
“I spoke with the club president, and I hope that one day we meet in two matches, God willing, and win them,” he said.
“So that we can demonstrate that the sporting choice we offered was the correct one.”
Lamine’s own reflection on choosing Spain over Morocco
Lamine also opened up on the experience of being courted by Spain and Morocco.
He said: “It was a strange experience, to be honest.
“The thought of playing for Morocco was definitely on my mind. Morocco had just reached the World Cup semi-finals, but when it came down to it, I never hesitated.
“With all due respect and affection for Morocco, I’ve always wanted to play in a European Championship, to play here in Europe.
“European football is more visible and closer to the international level. While at Barça, I wanted to win a European Championship, which, thank God, I’ve already achieved, and now I want to play in a World Cup with a chance of winning it.
“I’ll always have a soft spot for Morocco. It’s also my country. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been strange or bad at all to play for them, but Spain was playing in the European Championship. I grew up in Spain, and I also feel that it’s my country.”
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