Brahim Diaz: Strong claims on national choices
In the same week that Wilfried Zaha made the decision of representing Ivory Coast internationally, news has emerged from Morocco that Manchester City starlet Brahim Diaz might not have the credentials to ever play for the Atlas Lions.
According to Lions de l’Atlas, Diaz, widely reported as being able to represent Morocco in the future if he so wished, doesn’t actually have any Moroccan roots.
The website report that both his parents were actually born in Melilla, a Spanish enclave on Moroccan soil, which would therefore make him 100% a Spaniard.
For now, this might not affect the 17-year-old, who has already represented Spain U17s eight times since February, but it could be an issue in the future.
Let’s say, for example, that Brahim Diaz, in the future, doesn’t feel he has a chance of breaking into the Spain squad, the option to fall back on his Moroccan roots could have been useful.
Moroccan law clearly stipulates that one of the parents needs to hold Moroccan nationality for their child to be able to do the same, and doesn’t mention anything about grandparents.
However, if one of his grandparents is indeed Moroccan, the parent would have to apply for Moroccan nationality before Diaz himself can.
Sport Witness have contacted the youngster’s agent regarding this matter as this is a rather strong claim from Lion de l’Atlas, who state to have received the information from ‘someone very close to the dossier’.
Brahim Diaz made his debut for Manchester City earlier this season, in the EFL Cup win over Swansea.
Special thanks to Maher Mezahi who helped with additional information in this article.
