The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) maintains a database of nearly 3,000 Moroccan players across Europe, updating it annually to identify, monitor, and recruit dual-national talent, according to a recent report by The New York Times’ The Athletic.
Citing Rabie Takassa, coordinator of Morocco’s diaspora scouting network, the report said the federation begins identifying promising players as early as eight or nine years old before formally adding them to its database at around the age of 12 or 13.
Takassa oversees a network of seven scouts operating in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and Scandinavia. He explained that the federation’s priority is to establish “personal contact with youngsters who stand out at academies or youth national teams from a very early stage.”
According to the report, players considered capable of reaching the under-15 international level are approached early and introduced to Morocco’s football project, including its organizational structure, training facilities, and the Mohammed VI Football Academy.
Morocco’s recent success on the international stage has also strengthened the national team’s appeal among dual-national players. Takassa noted that, in the past, some prospects opted against representing Morocco because the Atlas Lions did not consistently qualify for the World Cup or make deep runs in the tournament.
“Their agents would advise them to choose another national team,” he told The Athletic.
The report added that the number of dual-national players in Morocco’s squad increased from 14 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 19 at the 2026 tournament.
Among the examples highlighted is Brahim Diaz, who officially switched allegiance to Morocco in 2024 after previously representing Spain at the U19 and U21 levels. According to the report, Moroccan officials had been trying to convince the Real Madrid midfielder for years, with former coach Hervé Renard first approaching him in 2017 and Walid Regragui renewing those efforts ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
The article also pointed to the case of 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who chose Morocco over France after meeting FRMF president Fouzi Lekjaa and Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi earlier this year.
Quoting a federation source, The Athletic reported that Morocco had been working for years to secure Bouaddi’s commitment.
“An absolute priority. We are talking about one of the greatest talents of his generation,” the source said.
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