Why can Brahim play for Morocco if he has already made his debut for Spain’s senior national team?
The player’s decision to opt for the Atlas Lions caused some friction between Spain and their neighbors on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Brahim Díaz has become a full‑blown icon on the southern side of the Mediterranean. In Morocco, he’s the creative heartbeat of the national team — the star player alongside Achraf Hakimi.
His choice to turn down Spain and wear the red‑and‑green of the Atlas Lions is now celebrated across the country. Some call it the steal of the decade. Others insist it’s a situation that should never have happened.
March 13, 2024 — a date etched into Moroccan soccer history. That day, former national team coach Walid Regragui announced Brahim’s name in an official squad list for the first time. What tipped the scales? Spain’s cold shoulder. Despite shining for AC Milan and Real Madrid, the Spanish federation didn’t see him as part of their long‑term plans.
Morocco, on the other hand, played the long game. They courted him patiently, offering the appreciation he never felt from Spain. And it stung, because Brahim had worn the Spanish crest at every youth level — including the U‑21 side coached by Luis de la Fuente, now Spain’s head coach.
De la Fuente handled Brahim’s decision with calm neutrality.“Everyone has to make their own choices,” he said at the time. He added that three conditions must align for a player to be selected:
- They must be eligible.
- They must want to play.
- The coach must call them up.
Brahim met the first two — Spain never fulfilled the third.
FIFA rules for switching national teams
According to FIFA regulations, a player may request a one‑time switch if:
- At the time they played their first official match for their current national team, they did not hold the nationality of the country they now wish to represent.
And they must meet at least one of the following:
- They were born in the new country.
- A parent or grandparent was born there.
- They have lived in the country continuously for five years.
In Brahim’s case, the key connection is his paternal grandmother, Purificación Abdelkader, who holds dual nationality despite being originally from Melilla — giving Brahim the legal pathway to represent Morocco.
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