Lamine Yamal, the twirling 16-year-old Barcelona winger, etched his name in the annals of Spanish football history when he stepped onto the pitch against Cadiz on August 20, who felt the brunt of his youthful vigor in a 2-0 showdown. But it didn’t stop there; he went on to dazzle once more, this time against Villarreal on August 28. In the heat of August, he played a pivotal role in the Blaugranas 4-3 victory.
These performances were like a siren’s song, captivating the hearts of Moroccan supporters. They yearned to see him don the colors of his motherland, Morocco, rather than the Spanish jersey, as he holds dual nationality.
Yet this young prodigy, who just turned 16, is confronted with a monumental decision,” declared the coach of the Morocco team during a press conference on Thursday.
“The president of the Federation and I’m, we labored to entice Lamine to join us. We sat down with him, engaged in a heart-to-heart We unfurled our grand vision, but in the end, the ball rests squarely in his court.”
“We did the right thing.”
Walid Regragui
Despite the radio silence surrounding his decision, it seems Lamine Yamal is rapidly steering towards La Roja.
On Friday, he found himself listed on Spain’s roster, unveiled by coach Luis de la Fuente for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. It’s nothing short of remarkable.
16-year-old Lamine Yamal has been called up to Spain's national team for the first time 💎 pic.twitter.com/krXVTi8ssM
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 1, 2023
“It’s time to place our trust in him,” coach Luis de la Fuente exclaimed during a press conference, discussing none other than the prodigious Lamine Yamal. This whiz-kid stands poised to become the youngest ever to grace La Roja’s hallowed turf, at a mere 16 years old. Mark your calendars for September 8 and 12, when Lamine Yamal could script history in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Georgia or Cyprus.
Moroccan fans might indeed nurse a sense of disappointment. None more so than Walid Regragui, who had exhibited remarkable foresight just hours prior. “We left no stone unturned in our efforts to entice him to join us, but you can’t force a player to choose Morocco, especially given his foreign birth and previous experience wearing the Spanish jersey in youth competitions.”