Without a doubt, Morocco is currently the most successful African team in the world. Not only the Atlas Lions finished in fourth place in Qatar World Cup 2022, but they are highly ranked in the FIFA World ranking list – 12th (Senegal is the next African county, ranked 19th). Morocco boasts the best stadiums and infrastructure, as most World Cup qualifiers were played there due to lack of FIFA standards in their own countries. But can you imagine how stronger this team would be if they managed to persuade Lamine Yamal to join them? It‘s not that the Atlas Lions didn‘t try, it‘s just that it didn‘t work.Yamal‘s grandmother: ‘That child is not from Morocco‘Morocco coach Walid Regragui was directly involved in negotiations which happened between his Football Association and the player and his parents. In fact, it was his first task when he was appointed Morocco boss.“It’s the first case I had when I arrived. We spoke with him, his family, and his lawyer. We tried everything, presenting him with the project we have in Morocco, the 2025 African Cup of Nations in our country, the 2030 World Cup, the affection the people have for him… I spoke directly with Lamine, and he was honest with me, as well as with the Moroccan Federation” he said in an interview with the El Chiringuito program.Lamine Yamal has two flags on his boots while representing Spain at the Euros:🇲🇦 Morocco, his father’s homeland🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, his mother’s homeland pic.twitter.com/JVH0mCBysZ— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) June 21, 2024 At that time Yamal was just 15, but everybody knew his potential already. He was born in Spain, while his mother and father are of Equatorial Guinean and Moroccan origin, so three different football associations were after him. But Yamal eventually chose Spain, a country where he was born and was honest with Regragui.”Two or three days after speaking with him, he called me with respect and said: ‘Coach, thank you for the love, but I’m going to choose Spain. I feel Spanish and I’ve played for Spain since I was a child.’ He was sincere with me. Lamine is a generational star, what he does at his age is incredible. We tried to get him to play for Morocco, but he chose Spain and we wish him good luck“ Morocco boss said.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALSSecond legThursday22:00: (1.38) Ath.Bilbao (4.70) Rangers (8.50)22:00: (2.35) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.50) Tottenham (2.95)22:00: (1.42) Lazio (4.50) Bodo (7.75)22:00: (1.70) Man.Utd. (3.85) Olympique Lyon (5.00)***odds are subject to change***UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALSSecond legThursday19:45: (1.38) Fiorentina (5.00) Celje (8.00)19:45: (4.20) Jagiellonia (4.00) Betis (1.80)22:00: (1.20) Chelsea (7.25) Legia (12.0)22:00: (1.90) Rapid (3.50) Djurgarden (4.20)***odds are subject to change***
