Morocco keep Thiago Pitarch option open after reported Ouahbi family meeting

Morocco have not abandoned their attempts to persuade Real Madrid prospect Thiago Pitarch to choose them internationally, with head coach Mohamed Ouahbi reportedly meeting the teenager and his family during a recent visit to Spain.

The 19-year-old midfielder had appeared likely to continue his international career with Spain, but the reported approach suggests the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) still regards his case as unresolved.

According to Moroccan newspaper Assabah, in a report relayed by Le360, Ouahbi travelled to Spain to meet Pitarch and his family. He was accompanied by Rabie Takassa, the federation’s Spain-based scout.

The meeting formed part of a wider European tour by Ouahbi, who also visited Germany, the Netherlands and France to monitor a number of young players who could become candidates for the Morocco senior side, known as the Lions of the Atlas.

If the meeting did take place, it would underline Morocco’s determination to keep the Pitarch situation open despite recent indications that Spain had taken the lead.

Pitarch was born in Spain and has represented the country at youth level. He is also eligible to play for Morocco through his grandfather, making him one of the most closely followed dual-nationality cases for the FRMF.

In March, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente publicly said that Pitarch wanted to represent Spain.

“The information is that Thiago wants to play for Spain, and that is excellent news,” said de la Fuente, who indicated that the midfielder’s planned route was to continue with Spain’s youth teams before potentially progressing to the under-21 side and eventually the senior squad.

Ouahbi adopted a more cautious position at the time, choosing not to apply public pressure to the player.

“He is very young and everything has happened very quickly. He prefers to focus on his club […] We must give young players time,” he said.

Several months later, however, Ouahbi appears ready to make one final attempt to influence Pitarch’s decision.

The reported approach may also point to a different strategy from the one associated with former Morocco manager Walid Regragui. Regragui repeatedly stressed that dual-nationality players needed a strong personal desire to represent Morocco, whereas Ouahbi appears willing to invest more time in selected cases and meet players and their families directly.

That approach has already been visible during his European tour, where he has followed several promising young players.

Morocco nevertheless face a difficult challenge in Pitarch’s case. Spain already hold an advantage because the player is part of their established youth international system, while his progress at Real Madrid has kept him firmly within the Spanish football structure.

However, Pitarch has not yet definitively committed his senior international future. Until that happens, Ouahbi appears intent on keeping a final route to Morocco available.