Morocco’s Football Federation Intensifies Efforts to Recruit Dual-Nationality Players

The FRMF does not skimp on the means when it comes to convincing dual nationals to choose Morocco as their sporting nationality. The most recent cases are El Haddadi, Ezzalzouli, El Khannouss, Zaroury or even the Mmae brothers. Some have still escaped them, pushing the authorities to implement a shock strategy such as ultra-modern infrastructures, luxury hotels, very early talent detection. For a few years now, families have also been involved to facilitate things, reports La Dernière heure.

Everything is done "to impress and put at ease right away. The facilities are worthy of a ten-star, it’s much more modern than in Tubize. There are swimming pools, multi-sports fields, luxury hotels, they have put the means and play on that, it’s impressive. In addition, there are very efficient training programs," says Noureddine Moukrim, a former Moroccan international, who, between 2010 and 2019, allowed Morocco to recruit talent in Belgium.

According to the U23 coach of Union Saint-Gilloise, the authorities in charge of football have great powers of persuasion. They send recruiters all over Europe in search of young talents. "The players are approached very early in order to attract them to the Moroccan side. We never force things, it’s an honest discussion with the player and the entourage," he specifies.

But for Abdellatif Khlale who was for more than ten years a "talent detector" for the FRMF, "the methods towards the players are becoming more and more aggressive. There are a lot of promises at stake, money and crooks turning around, that’s also why I stopped. Some promise housing on site to families, internships, the possibility of making money, all this has become unhealthy," he regrets.