A report by El Mundo newspaper highlighted Morocco’s increasing moves within Spanish football, especially in attracting dual-nationality players and expanding its influence network within the European football system.
The report pointed to the role played by Rabie Takssa, the official within the Royal Moroccan Football Federation responsible for the cell that attracts dual-nationality players. Since his move to Madrid in 2014, he has made the Spanish capital the base of his work, continuing to communicate with young players to persuade them to represent Morocco. According to the newspaper, Takssa played an important role in convincing several prominent names, including Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and Abdeslam Zalzouli, to choose to play for the Moroccan national football team.
The report adds that this strategy is not limited to the recruitment cell only but falls within a broader vision led by the federation president Fouzi Lekjaa with the support of Mohammed VI, aiming to strengthen Morocco’s football standing globally, especially in view of hosting the 2030 World Cup jointly with Spain and Portugal. The report also mentioned a project to build a massive stadium in Casablanca that could accommodate up to 115,000 spectators.
In the context of talent recruitment, the report mentioned that Morocco is closely monitoring the development of young player Thiago Petarsh, who progressed through Real Madrid and played with Spanish youth national teams. Although the player tends to continue his career with the Spanish national football team, his Moroccan origins on his grandfather’s side have placed his name within the interest circle of the Moroccan federation.
The report also indicated that the Moroccan federation is not only targeting players but seeks to benefit from the expertise of prominent Spanish football figures. Among the most notable cases is the attempt to recruit Andrés Iniesta to assume the position of sporting director for the Moroccan teams, with several meetings held and extensive powers offered to him, but he ultimately preferred to pursue a coaching path.
The report revealed Moroccan interest in several Spanish coaches, including Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez, despite the appointment of Mohamed Wahbi as the current coach of the national team, succeeding Walid Regragui.
The report concluded by noting that the Moroccan project has become attractive to a number of names within Spanish football, especially with the presence of coaches who have previously worked in Spain, such as Jorge Vilda, who currently oversees the training of the Moroccan women’s national team.
