Morocco’s World Cup Hero Yahya Attiat-Allah Reveals Transfer Saga: From Dreams to Disappointment

The Qatari epic has changed his status. From a respected player at Wydad Casablanca, he has become a reliable player on the international football scene. "After the World Cup, I felt that I had acquired this title of a confirmed, reliable player," he confides to Foot Mercato. A recognition that has not, however, diverted him from his roots. "It didn’t change me, I’m still the same man." Like his teammates, he experienced this adventure in a form of protective isolation. "We were in a bubble. Our goal was as if we were on a mission. It was to win and go back to the hotel." It was only after the competition, faced with popular fervor, that the group realized the magnitude of their feat, giving way to a form of nostalgia. "You think back to that period, the moments... There is a lot of nostalgia, especially when I see the goals, the joy of the Moroccan people."

Buoyed by this new notoriety, his goal was clear: to join Europe, a childhood dream. However, the aftermath was far from a smooth ride. Convinced that offers would pour in, he is stunned. "I went to see my management to ask if I had any offers. And they told me there were no offers. That was their answer. I was shocked." It is ultimately Montpellier who makes contact. But Wydad is demanding, despite the six months of contract remaining for their player. "They had set the amount at 1.2 million euros," specifies Attiat-Allah, who was absolutely determined that his home club would benefit from a transfer fee. Unexpectedly, the Hérault club agrees to align itself. The deal then seems to be on the right track, to the point that French doctors are about to take off for Morocco. That’s when everything falls apart. "On the day the doctors were supposed to leave, at Marseille airport, the Wydad executives stopped giving us news. The transfer fell through." The player’s analysis is bitter: "In fact, Wydad wanted me to stay and didn’t think Montpellier would align itself. They said that at 1.2 million euros, a player from the Moroccan championship, with 6 months left on his contract, it wouldn’t happen."

Despite this episode, his attachment to the club remains intact, distinguishing the institution from its leaders. "The club doesn’t belong to the executives, it belongs to the supporters. I belong to this club," he emphasizes, and he will end up extending his contract to maintain his chances with the national team. But the European dream has not been extinguished. Some time later, another door opens, this time on the side of Le Havre. An agreement is quickly reached, both with the club and with the player. The only obstacle: a release clause of 500,000 euros. The management of Le Havre assures that it will be lifted, but the file will never progress. "Le Havre told me they didn’t have the money to pay this clause," reveals the defender. The disappointment is immense, commensurate with his desire to cross the Mediterranean. "To tell you the truth, I was even willing to pay the clause myself in order to play in Europe and live this dream. But I never got an answer."

These two consecutive failures will ultimately lead him to Russia, to Sotchi, which has been more concrete in paying the clause to Wydad. Now back in the Russian first division after a successful loan to Al-Ahly in Egypt, Yahya Attiat-Allah remains focused on his sporting goals, with the next African Cup of Nations in his sights. He takes the opportunity to dispel certain rumors about a possible return to his home country. "At no point did I receive an offer from Wydad as mentioned in Morocco. No one has discussed with me," he says, tired that his silence is sometimes misinterpreted. "People take advantage because I don’t talk much in the media, I just want to do my job." A job he hopes to continue at the highest level, still guided by the jersey of the Atlas Lions and the relationship of trust he maintains with his coach, Walid Regragui.