Soufiane El-Faouzi Chooses Morocco Over Germany

In a significant decision for his international career, Soufiane El-Faouzi, the talented midfielder from FC Schalke 04, has opted to represent the Moroccan national team. This choice comes after speculation regarding his potential inclusion in the German national squad, particularly following a recent match where Schalke faced SV Elversberg, ending in a 0-0 draw. During a post-match discussion, El-Faouzi elaborated on his motivations for selecting Morocco, as well as the nature of his interactions with Germany's head coach, Jürgen Klopp.

El-Faouzi’s Connection with Klopp and His Path Forward

While El-Faouzi was previously considered a candidate for the German national team, he confirmed that he had not had direct communication with Klopp regarding a call-up. When asked about any discussions with the German coach, he simply stated, "Not directly." Instead, El-Faouzi is set to rejoin the Moroccan squad, having made his international debut in May during a friendly match against Burundi, which Morocco won 5-0. Notably, since the match was not a competitive fixture, El-Faouzi could have switched allegiance to Germany later on. However, he expressed that his commitment to Morocco is a heartfelt decision, driven by positive experiences during his first stint with the team. "It was a friendly match, but I enjoyed it immensely and felt a strong connection with the coach," he remarked.

El-Faouzi is particularly enthused about the recent advancements of the Moroccan national team, stating, "Morocco has performed exceptionally well in the last two World Cups. I am eager to be part of this journey and am genuinely excited about the future." With upcoming matches in the Africa Cup qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho, El-Faouzi is looking forward to contributing to the team's success as they aim for further achievements on the continental stage. "These matches are significant, and I hope to have more playing time because there's a lot at stake," he concluded.

As reported by fussballdaten.de.