Ibrahim Diaz, the Real Madrid player, chose to represent Morocco over Spain due to the negative way the latter treated the 24-year-old striker. According to "Marca" newspaper, the Spanish Football Federation showed no interest in Diaz and treated him negatively.
The report stated that there was no initiative to show interest in the player ، Diaz had been waiting for the Spanish national team for seven years, despite playing in the youth stages and being included in Luis Enrique's squad in November 2021, but he never played thereafter, while the Moroccan national team already wanted him.
Marca continued by stating that Diaz's decision was well thought out ، Lawyers worked on finding legal solutions for him to obtain dual citizenship, which is possible under Spanish legislation
Additionally, Luis de la Fuente, the current coach of Spain, did not contact the player to inform him about his current or future plans.
While the Moroccan national team intensified their contacts with the player, offering him significant projects such as participating in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by the country, along with the 2026 World Cup and the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting. Diaz made his decision accordingly.
The Real Madrid striker played only one match with the Spanish national team, which led him to lean towards Morocco due to Luis de la Fuente's lack of reliance on his services in the past periods.
FIFA regulations initially stipulated that any player who played one international match with the first team would not be allowed to play for any other national team before new rules were enacted in 2021, allowing those who participated in friendly or unofficial matches to play for another national team under certain criteria as well. Diaz decided to represent the country to which his roots trace back through his paternal grandmother.
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