Dutch U21 international Anass Salah-Eddine has reaffirmed his commitment to representing the Netherlands, cooling speculation about a potential switch to Morocco ahead of Walid Regragui’s latest squad announcement.
As Morocco prepares for the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers—set to take place on March 22 and 25 in Oujda against Niger and Tanzania—Regragui has named a 26-man squad that does not include Salah-Eddine.
The 23-year-old AS Roma left-back, who has represented the Netherlands at every youth level from U15 to U21, had been widely tipped as a possible inclusion.
No Decision to Switch Allegiances
Prior to the squad announcement, speculation had grown regarding Salah-Eddine’s international future, particularly given his ambiguous remarks about his preference between the Netherlands and Morocco, his parents’ country of origin.
With Morocco struggling to find a reliable option at left-back—having tested Yahya Attiat Allah (Al Ahly), Youssef Belammari (Raja Casablanca), Adam Masina (Torino), and Adam Aznou (Valladolid) without a clear standout performer—his potential inclusion seemed increasingly likely.
However, Salah-Eddine has dismissed suggestions that he has been contemplating a switch. “I haven’t thought about it at all,” the Amsterdam-born player told ESPN, putting an end to the speculation.
Focused on the Netherlands
By accepting another call-up to the Dutch U21 squad instead of considering a senior role with Morocco, Salah-Eddine has made his preference clear.
His decision appears to be driven by a deep-rooted connection to the Netherlands and his immediate footballing ambitions.
“I’m currently with the Dutch U21s, and we have an important tournament this summer (the U21 European Championship),” he added. “That’s where I want to focus all my attention.”
While his comments do not entirely rule out the possibility of representing Morocco in the future, they leave little room for optimism among Moroccan supporters. For now, Salah-Eddine remains firmly committed to the Oranje setup, prioritizing his role in their upcoming European campaign.
🎙️ | Anass Salah Eddine sur le Maroc 🇲🇦 :
Le Maroc 🇲🇦 ? Je n’y ai même pas pensé. Actuellement, je suis avec les Pays-Bas 🇳🇱 U-21 et nous avons l’Euro U-21 cet été. C’est là que je veux me concentrer.
➖ @ESPN pic.twitter.com/yyHfZ04dwn
— Zone FRMF 🇲🇦 (@ZoneFRMF) March 18, 2025
