Moroccan-Born Midfielder Yassine En Neyah Gains Irish Citizenship, Eyes National Team

A new life begins for Yassine En Neyah. The young player is now fully Irish, reports Independent.ie. "I am proud to say that I am an Irish citizen. Now I can continue and try to represent Ireland at a high level. [...] I feel at home, I am part of the people here. I am proud to be Irish and I can finally say it and finally wear a green jersey," he rejoices.

Born in Morocco to a Moroccan father and a French mother, Yassine arrived in Ireland at the age of eight. "When I came here, I got into football and found a platform I needed. [...] When I went to Corduff, I played with some of my friends and that’s where I caught the attention of Corduff FC. I was surprised by the welcome of the people," he says.

But an obstacle stood in his way: Irish nationality. An obstacle that had prevented him from playing for Ireland competitively at the junior level. Today, it is an acquired fact. On Monday, his story was also mentioned during a virtual citizenship ceremony presented by Minister of Justice Helen McEntee. The Shelbourne midfielder hopes that Celtic FC coach Damien Duff will include him in his squad.