Morocco's Secret Weapon: Ibrahim Diaz Sparks Spain's Wake-Up Call

Diaz's Morocco Breakthrough Raises Spain's Questions

An influential sports report criticized Spain for not calling Ibrahim Diaz up to the national team, despite his bright form with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations and in earlier campaigns.

AFCON Spotlight on Ibrahim Diaz

Under the headline 'Ibrahim Exposes Spain', the Spanish newspaper AS noted that Diaz's results with Morocco prove the Atlas Lions' gamble was correct: 18 wins and 3 draws.

Diaz chose Morocco to be his shining star in a tighter setup, not just another ordinary player in a bigger pool—echoing his youth-team experience with Spain.

Diaz is considered a star for Morocco in AFCON after scoring five goals in six matches, and he remains unbeaten with the Moroccan shirt since debuting in 2024.

Diaz's record shows 18 wins and 3 draws in 21 international appearances, with 13 goals to his name.

The piece notes Morocco's affection for their new star. A stroll through the old town confirms Diaz is the country’s new darling; the Hakimi 2 shirts are still common, but Real Madrid 10 is rising.

Both men are charged with carrying Morocco's hopes before the Africa Cup final against Senegal, on Sunday, where they could win the continent's first title in half a century.

Diaz's inspiration is evident; even against Nigeria, fatigued, the coach kept him on until extra time in search of a moment of magic. It didn't come, but penalties ensured Morocco's place in the final.

In closing, Diaz chose Morocco for a reason. He believed that, given Africa's current level, he could win trophies and shine as a star in big tournaments. The Africa Cup could be the start of many steps, leading to the World Cup in summer and more championships later, where his peak form will matter.

Punchline 1: Diaz keeps scoring, Spain keeps writing new excuses in the footnotes of history.

Punchline 2: De La Fuente may need a bigger notebook to explain why he passed on a player who keeps showing up at the big stages.