RABAT – The president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, has revealed unprecedented details of a direct conversation he held with Spanish teenage sensation Lamine Yamal regarding the player’s international future—and issued a chilling warning should the two nations meet on football’s biggest stage.
In an exclusive interview with Moroccan news outlet Hespress, Lekjaa disclosed that he personally approached the Barcelona winger, who was born to Moroccan parents in Spain, to explore the possibility of representing the Atlas Lions. The response, according to Lekjaa, was definitive.
“Regarding Lamine Yamal, I spoke with him and he told me that he wants to play for Spain,” Lekjaa said. “I hope now that we face Spain in the World Cup final, so that we can see if he has made the right decision or not.”
The comments, accompanied by a laughing emoji in Lekjaa’s original statement, have sent shockwaves through both Spanish and Moroccan football circles—reigniting a long-standing debate over dual-nationality talent and national allegiance.
Background: A Teen Prodigy with Two Homelands
Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana, 17, exploded onto the global stage during Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, where he became the tournament’s youngest-ever scorer and was named Young Player of the Tournament. Born in Esplugues de Llobregat, Catalonia, to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, Yamal has always represented Spain internationally, debuting for La Roja at just 16 years old.
However, his Moroccan heritage has never been a secret. Yamal has visited his father’s hometown of Larache in northern Morocco, and he famously celebrated his Spain goals by making the “sign of the Atlas Lions” — a gesture that fuelled persistent speculation that Morocco’s football federation was quietly courting him.
Lekjaa, who has been instrumental in Morocco’s historic rise to become the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final (in 2022), has made no secret of his desire to lure Spanish-born players of Moroccan descent. Previous efforts targeted another Barcelona starlet, Ilias Akhomach, who ultimately chose Morocco and has since been capped by the Atlas Lions.
A Warning Shot Before a Potential Clash
Lekjaa’s latest remarks carry a dual edge. On the surface, they appear to accept Yamal’s decision with good-natured sportsmanship. But the proviso—“I hope we face Spain in the World Cup final”—is loaded with competitive fire.
The two nations have developed a fierce but respectful rivalry. They met in the round of 16 at Qatar 2022, a match Morocco won on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw, eliminating Spain and propelling the Atlas Lions to their historic run. A future final would be the highest-stakes rematch imaginable.
“If that final happens,” Lekjaa added in the interview, “we will see whether the boy made the right choice. We respect his decision, but we also trust our own stars.”
Spain’s Response: Quiet Confidence
Spanish media have largely dismissed Lekjaa’s comments as playful banter, noting that Yamal is already cap-tied to Spain after featuring in official UEFA and FIFA competitions. Unless FIFA grants a rare one-time switch—highly unlikely given Yamal’s senior caps—his international future is sealed.
Nevertheless, the timing of Lekjaa’s interview is significant. Morocco is preparing to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, a tournament that will see the three nations share the spotlight. The prospect of a Morocco-Spain final in that tournament, with Yamal potentially lining up against the country of his father, is a narrative football fans can already dream of.
For now, Yamal remains focused on Barcelona’s La Liga campaign. But Lekjaa’s words ensure that the question of allegiance—and the “what if”—will not fade quietly.
“Something must kill a man,” as Ghanaian fans might say. For Moroccan supporters, the hope is that it will be a World Cup final victory over Spain—with Lamine Yamal watching from the losing side.
— Additional reporting based on interviews with Hespress and FRMF sources.
