‘We Tried Everything’ – Regragui Reveals Yamal’s Heartfelt Call and Final Choice

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui's opened up about his attempt to recruit Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to the Moroccan national team before the teenage star committed his international future to Spain.

Speaking on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito, Regragui shared insight into the cordial but ultimately unsuccessful talks with the young forward & praised Yamal's honesty and character throughout the process.

“We Tried Everything – But He Felt Spanish”

“Lamine Yamal's once in a generation talent, We made serious effort to bring him into the Morocco setup but he chose Spain. We wish him the best. What he’s doing at his age is simply extraordinary” Regragui said.

Regragui revealed that after holding discussions with the player in 2023, Yamal called him directly to confirm his decision:

“2 or 3 days after we spoke, he called me and said, ‘Thank you for the love Morocco showed me but I’m going to choose Spain. I feel Spanish’ He was very respectful and honest”

Yamal's Commitment to La Roja

In Aug 2023 Yamal ended speculation about his international future, choosing to represent Spain over Morocco. The decision came shortly before his record breaking debut in Sep 2023 when he became the youngest ever player to appear and score for Spain at just 16 years and 57 day old.

Morocco’s Ambitious Vision Not Enough

Regragui explained that Morocco presented Yamal with compelling long term project, including:

• The AFCON 2025 hosted on home soil
• The 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co host
• The deep passion and support of Moroccan fans

Despite this Regragui acknowledged Yamal's clarity from the start:

“He didn’t hesitate or mislead us. He didn’t say he was Moroccan & then switch. He was sincere from the beginning”.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.