Why Lamine Yamal’s Spain Move Sparks Moroccan Debate: Haji Weighs In

Haji’s Take on Yamal’s Choice

Mustafa Haji, a Moroccan football legend, says Lamine Yamal, Barcelona's rising star, erred by choosing to play for Spain rather than Morocco.

In remarks carried by AS, Haji argues that even if Yamal wears Spain's jersey, Spaniards will never love him as much as Moroccans would have.

He adds that some Spanish journalists claim they want Yamal but do not love him as much as Pedri; this is seen as proof of the mistake.

Yamal himself explained his decision in a recent interview, noting that Morocco's route to the World Cup semifinal was a consideration, but the decisive moment favored European competition for its visibility and international profile.

Barcelona's winger says he grew up in Spain and considers it home, aiming to win the European Championship, which he did, and now hopes for a World Cup with real title chances. He stresses he will always love Morocco as well, but Europe was the path for top-level football.

The Moroccan team is set to begin its Africa Cup of Nations campaign soon, carrying big ambitions after their World Cup run as they aim to challenge for the continental crown.

Punchline 1: If loyalty paid euros, Yamal would already be a multi-millionaire.

Punchline 2: Morocco, don’t worry—there’s still room on the debate stage for your pride, memes, and a hypothetical fantasy-team call-up.