Morocco coach Walid Regragui opened up on how Lamine Yamal ended up playing for Spain over the Atlas Lions.
Lamine Yamal played for the youth teams of the Spanish national team during his process of maturity and growth, but the leap to the top flight catapulted his status at the international level.
At that moment, he had to decide whether to continue his time with ‘la Roja’ or answer the call of Morocco, where he also had roots.
“He is a generational talent that we tried to take to Morocco. What he does at his age is incredible. I spoke directly with him, but he was very honest with me and also with the Federation. We try to give him the project we have, with Africa Cup and World Cup 2030, plus the affection that the country can give Lamine,” Regragui told ‘El Chiringuito de Jugones’.
“The boy never lied. He chose Spain. He called me, with respect, and said ‘thank you for the love, but I’m going to choose Spain because I feel Spanish’. We, of course, want great players, but I wish him luck. He is a very honest guy and I liked that conversation. He is going to be one of the world’s great stars. We spoke with his family, with him and his lawyer. We did everything, but that’s football. Good luck,” he added.
Since making his debut for Spain in September 2023, the FC Barcelona forward has become a key player for the ‘La Roja’. He played a key role in Spain winning the European Championship in Germany.
