The vice president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation has approved an intensification of the scouting network in the German Bundesliga, a direct response to losing two dual-national talents to Germany. The move follows Germany's call-up of 17-year-old Moroccan-origin forward Wael Mouhya for their November international fixtures.
Losing Mouhya and Bentaleb
Germany called up Wael Mouhya of Borussia Mönchengladbach and Yunis Bentaleb for friendly matches against Serbia and the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League. Mouhya, who joined the German club's academy at age eight, became the club's youngest-ever scorer in March 2024 when he netted against Bayern Munich aged 17 years and 66 days. He is the only player under 18 to contribute to goals in Europe's top five leagues this season, with 2 goals and 1 assist.
Germany coach Jurgen Klopp said of Mouhya: "There are very few players at 17 playing in the Bundesliga, and that alone is exceptional, but he is also performing very well." Klopp added: "I had three conversations with the player and I did not have this confidence in myself at seventeen but I was not as good as him in football at that age."
Germany's Strategy and Morocco's Response
The report identifies Germany as the primary competitor for Morocco in attracting dual-national talent, particularly from the Bundesliga. Germany's strategy focuses on rapid communication with players and families, building trust over years before a senior call-up. In response, Morocco's Council President Fouzi Lekjaa and the federation vice president approved a plan to intensify scouting and open continuous communication lines with Bundesliga players, their families, and clubs.
This follows previous losses of talents like Ibrahim Diaz and Achraf Hakimi to Spain and France via similar pathways. Yunis Bentaleb, who had previously featured for Morocco's youth setup, was also lost to Germany.
Current Team Context
The Moroccan national team now turns its focus to its next qualifying match, a home fixture against Niger on November 11. This comes after a 1-1 draw with Mali in their previous match on October 4. Abde Ezzalzouli scored Morocco's goal from the penalty spot in the 35th minute of that game.
This means Morocco's recent form reads one draw with no defeats, placing the team in a position to build during the current international break. The new reinforcement plan in Germany aims to ensure no future promising talents are lost, as the squad continues preparations for its key clash against Niger next week.
The original report is at القدس العربي
