Spanish newspaper AS highlighted a striking paradox ahead of Morocco's clash with France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco's national team faces its French counterpart at 11 p.m. today, Thursday, in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
6 Frenchmen lead Morocco against the Roosters
The newspaper AS noted that the Moroccan national team will face France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, relying on six players born in France, in a scene that reflects the continued dependence of the "Atlas Lions" on members of the Moroccan diaspora.
The newspaper added that the six players are: Radwan Halhal, Jessim Yassine, Samir El Mourabit, Neil El Aynaoui, Issa Diop, and Ayoub Bouaddi, all of whom were born in French cities before choosing to represent the Moroccan national team.
It pointed out that Ayoub Bouaddi is one of the most prominent examples of the Moroccan Federation's policy of attracting players of Moroccan origin, after he chose to represent the "Atlas Lions" despite having played for French youth teams.
The newspaper confirmed that Morocco's reliance on players born in France is not new, but it has seen notable development in recent years, after several of the Moroccan national team's most prominent stars, such as Sofiane Boufal, Romain Saïss, Marouane Chamakh, Mehdi Benatia, and Mustapha Hadji, were also born in France before donning the Moroccan national team jersey.
