Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz, who switched his international allegiance from Spain to Morocco, is among Walid Regragui’s 27-member squad that will face Zambia on June 7, 2024, in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Diaz was born in Malaga to Spanish parents but qualifies to represent the Atlas Lions through his paternal grandfather, Brahim Diaz Abdelkader, who was born in Morocco.
He represented Spain at the youth level, but never received a La Roja call-up since his senior debut in 2021.
The 24-year-old only played for Spain’s senior team once, in an international friendly against Lithuania on June 8, 2021. He scored the second goal in the game, which finished 4-0.
After switching his allegiance, Morocco’s head coach, Regragui, gave him his debut call-up, and the Madrid-based youngster, who is ending the season with 8 goals and 6 assists in 33 La Liga appearances, played two friendly games, a 1-0 win against Angola and a 0-0 draw with Mauritania in March.
He is now ready to make his competitive debut against the Chipolopolo Boys.
Regragui has called up the majority of the players who helped his team get to the FIFA World Cup semifinals, including goalkeepers Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, and Benabid.
Achraf Hakimi of PSG, Manchester United’s Sofyan Amrabat, Hakim Ziyech, Ayoub El Kaabi, and Youssef En-Nesyrr have all made the cut.
Morocco, who leads Group E on goal difference but is level on three points with Zambia, Niger, and Tanzania, will welcome the Chipolopolo Boys in Agadir.
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