Morocco seeks to include Real Madrid talent

A few players have made a qualitative leap this season, such as Thiago Pitarch (18 years old), who has reserved a place for himself in the Real Madrid first team, under the leadership of Arbeloa, where he will remain until the end of the season. His appearance was one of the most pleasant surprises for Real Madrid fans this year, and his name began to resonate globally.

Morocco's interest in Thiago is not new, as his grandmother comes from the North African country, which makes him eligible to play for the Moroccan national team under Article 6 of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) regulations, which allows the player to represent an association if one of his grandparents was born on its territory, among other conditions.

In fact, the player's name has already appeared on a preliminary list for the Moroccan U-20 national team, along with Rashad Fattal, who is a similar case, which indicates that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation has been following him for some time, according to what the Spanish newspaper “Marca” reported.

Now, Morocco has taken it a step further, presenting their project for the 2030 World Cup, which the country is hosting jointly with Spain and Portugal.

This is a long-term project, given his young age, because Morocco is looking this summer for players with more experience at the elite level, such as Ayoub Bouadi, the Lille midfielder of Moroccan origins and French nationality.

This is not the first time that such a situation has arisen between Spain and Morocco. The case of Brahim Diaz is the most notable example, although he was offered an immediate starring role that Pitarch has not yet had.

The most significant example from an organizational standpoint is the case of Mounir El Haddadi, who, after his first appearance with the Spanish national team, succeeded in convincing FIFA to amend the eligibility rules, and he ended up representing Morocco later. The secret lies here: youth categories do not restrict the player permanently. Only an official match with the first team, in a qualifier or major tournament, closes this door permanently. Friendly matches do not count either.