In the documentary Inside: The Rise of Moroccan Football, produced by Onze Mondial, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, discussed Lamine Yamal’s decision to represent Spain rather than Morocco. The Moroccan official insists that the Federation has always respected this decision.
When asked about the young FC Barcelona prodigy, Lekjaa made a remark that has already sparked a reaction: “I don’t know of any Spaniard called Jamal, and I don’t know of any player in the history of the Spanish national team who has gone by that name.”
The FRMF president nevertheless emphasised that Morocco has never sought to challenge the player’s decision. “We have respected Lamine’s choice and have never opposed it. We have never changed the way we deal with him or his family, who continue to spend their holidays in the northern provinces of Morocco, their homeland, where they will always be welcome,” he said.
Fouzi Lekjaa also emphasised that the Kingdom approaches such matters with equanimity. In his view, seeing players of Moroccan origin competing at the highest level, including for other national teams, is a testament to the quality of Moroccan football training and Morocco’s contribution to international football.
The official emphasised that the FRMF does not judge the choices of dual-nationality players through the prism of frustration or pride. “We are delighted that the Moroccan project has become a benchmark, but representing a national team remains, above all, a personal choice,” he explained.
Broadcast on the Onze Mondial YouTube channel, the documentary looks back at the strategy for developing Moroccan football, from the training of young talent to the rise of the Atlas Lions on the international stage. In particular, it features several key figures in national football, including Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou, Fathi Jamal and Mohamed Ouahbi.
