From Hakimi to Bouaddi .. Morocco reaps the rewards of betting on dual nationality.

For quite some time, dual nationals were counted on fingers in the Moroccan national football team, but today they have become the vast majority and a point of strength for the "Atlas Lions" across various age categories.

Attracting the best dual national talents was previously seen as an alternative option in the kingdom, leading the national team to miss out on many players who chose their countries of birth, including but not limited to Khalid Boulahrouz and Ibrahim Afellay (Netherlands), Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini (Belgium), and Adil Rami (France); however, it has now become a major sports project that Moroccan officials are heavily focusing on to compete with the world's greatest football nations in the talent battle.

International striker Ryan Mmaee, who chose Morocco along with his brother Sami in 2018, said in an interview with Agence France-Presse: "We could have played for Cameroon and Belgium as well. When I was called up, I saw that Morocco was making great efforts to put players in the best conditions; everything was well thought out, a real project. This is what attracted me, as well as my closeness to my mother (Moroccan)."

Mmaee, who won the titles of champion and top scorer in the Cypriot league with Omonia Nicosia (25 goals), added: "It was a relatively easy choice, and for my brother (Sami), it was the same. We were very happy and proud to wear the Moroccan jersey and choose to play for it. After that, what the national team has achieved is also attracting many players now."

Morocco has established a clear strategy to implement this project, relying on a network of scouts across Europe to benefit from talents at an early age, counting on the strong emotional connection of Moroccan communities to the country and the involvement of players' parents and families to convince them to represent the "Atlas Lions."

The technical director of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fathi Jamal, said: "Since 2021, we have engaged in a performance dynamic led by a clear strategic vision. We have a hybrid and smart model. Some players have graduated from local training through national academies and club training centers, while others have been discovered in Europe, thanks to a specialized unit that monitors young dual national talents."