The decision of the young Barça talent Lamine Yamal to turn down Morocco to play for the Spanish national team continues to generate endless criticism in Morocco, where the footballer’s betrayal is not forgiven. His grandmother tried a few days ago to settle the controversy, but has further heated up the debate, being the object of all kinds of threats and criticism on social networks.
The grandmother The young prodigy of Spanish football sparked a heated debate a few days ago when he stated that his grandson, born and raised in Spainshould not be considered Moroccan. This statement was met with harsh criticism, prompting a renewed debate on the young player’s nationality.
In an interview on Antena 3, the grandmother defended Lamine’s decision to represent the Spanish national team, saying: “This child is not from Morocco. He was born here and educated here. My son Mounir did not force him to do anything. He played in Morocco, in France, in Spain… wherever he wanted.” This choice, although honest, put the family in the spotlight.
Lamine Yamal’s controversial decision to play for Spain and not Morocco has already brought him problems in his neighbourhood, Rocafonda. A local resident said: “It was his own countrymen who were saying that it was a betrayal for Morocco because the boy was not going to play with them.”
A controversial video
Now Following his grandmother’s comments, Moroccan fans were quick to react on social media. Angry at the renunciation of her Moroccan status, they have rescued an interview in which the grandmother claims the opposite and even a video in the one where the Barça footballer is seen celebrating Spain’s elimination by Morocco in the World Cup. “Lamine is not Spanish, he is Moroccan. His only friend is Moroccan… His real name is Lamine Jamal, it was I who appointed him to the consulate,” his paternal grandmother stated in that recording.
The outrage is total and Messages accusing her grandmother of being a liar for saying one thing depending on the media that interviewed her and the player of being a traitor are flooding Twitter.
“Good luck. Stay with Spain, where even when you win they insult you,” “A Moroccan at heart would never play for another country,” “He will never represent Morocco. He is just a traitor.”. are some of the messages that can be read in “X”.
It is worth remembering that Yamal has always opted to defend the Spanish jersey despite having the possibility of doing so for the countries where his parents are from: Morocco and Guinea. And that is something that his Moroccan neighbours do not forgive, to the point of having received threats and hate attacks.
This was Lamine’s “no” to Morocco
Despite pressure from Morocco, Lamine was clear that he wanted to play for Spain. Born to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, the talented footballer caught the attention of the Moroccan Football Federation and coach Walid Regragui, who wanted to add Yamal to the Atlas Lions line-up.
In August 2023, In the midst of a media debate on Lamine Yamal’s future at the national team level, Mounir Nasraoui and his paternal grandmother, Fatima, travelled to Morocco and visited the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Salé at the invitation of Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. In fact, given the interest of the Spanish press and the Spanish Football Federation in not playing for Morocco, the national coach, Walid Regragui, even met the footballer in a restaurant in Barcelona, according to media such as Rue20 and Hespress.
But Yamal’s decision was clear and the Moroccan Federation had no choice but to admit defeat. “We met with his parents. We told them about our project, him and his family, but Lamine was already convinced to go with Spain. Spain and Morocco are separated by 14 kilometres and it is normal for these things to happen,” said Fouzi Lekjaa.
Days after his father’s visit to Morocco, the young FC Barcelona winger became the big surprise in the Spanish national team’s squad for the matches against Georgia and Cyprus.
“I have always played for Spain, since I was in the U-15s, and I have always been clear that I wanted to play for Spain, win a European Championship, a World Cup and everything else I could,” said the footballer.
By November he had already played four matches for Spain, which closed the door to his international status with Morocco. This was a disappointment for Moroccan fans and led to attacks on social media against the footballer and his family.
The flag of controversy
They also did not look favourably on Lamine wearing the flags of Morocco and Guinea on his boots as a tribute to his origins. “The Moroccan flag represents our dignity and identity, and putting it on a shoe is to belittle it” or “Lamine chose to represent Spain at the expense of Morocco, and today he wears the Moroccan flag on his boots! This is behaviour that does not express respect for his origins!” were some of the comments that circulated on social networks.
Lamine Yamal will never forget September 8, 2023, the day he made his debut for the Spanish national team. He did so at Boris Paichadze in Tbilisi, against the local team, Georgia. At 16 years and 57 days old, he became the youngest player to make his debut for Spain. And he did so with a goal that has gone around the world. Moroccan fans have not forgotten him either.