On Friday, Luis de la Fuente clarified a significant development in the world of Spanish football: Thiago Pitarch, the highly talented midfielder from Real Madrid, will represent the Spanish national team moving forward. This decision concludes a prolonged tug-of-war between Spain and the Moroccan Football Federation, which had been courting the young player heavily.
Despite having familial ties to Al Hoceima through his grandfather and receiving considerable attention from Morocco, Pitarch has definitively committed to playing for his country of birth. National coach De la Fuente publicly welcomed this decision, emphasizing its importance for Spanish football. "The good news is simply that Thiago wants to play for Spain," De la Fuente stated to Mundo Deportivo. "He has made his position clear and will now take part in the U19 national team, for which he is currently eligible."
The calendar for this promising young talent is already packed with upcoming commitments: in addition to the forthcoming elite round, he will prepare for the European Championship and the qualification matches for the U20 World Cup. De la Fuente hinted that the path to higher levels could be swift: "If the coaches believe it is appropriate, the door to the U21 team or – when the time is right – even the senior national team is always open to him."
The coach expressed his admiration for the teenager's determination: "The best part of this situation is that we have a young man who is fully committed to the Spanish national team. This makes us, and many others in the federation, extremely happy." While there is joy over having secured Pitarch for Spain, De la Fuente maintained his usual diplomatic tone regarding players who choose a different path: "If someone decides to represent another country, we completely respect that and wish them all the best. Every player is free to make the choice that is right for them." However, in the case of Pitarch, his choice has firmly aligned with the Red and Gold.
As reported by tribuna.com.
