The recent decision by Younes Ebnoutalib to represent Germany in international football, rather than his native Morocco, has ignited significant controversy among football fans and analysts alike. Ebnoutalib's choice has raised eyebrows, particularly because it comes at a time when the Moroccan national team is gearing up for crucial matches.

In an interesting twist, Soufiane El-Faouzi, a midfielder from Schalke, has seemingly opted for the Moroccan national team over Germany. The 24-year-old player, originally from Siegen, was previously considered a candidate for the German national team under coach Jürgen Klopp. However, El-Faouzi has now been named in Morocco's squad for upcoming international fixtures against Gabon, Lesotho, and Ghana. He had already participated in a friendly match against Burundi in May, where Morocco triumphed with a resounding 5-0 victory, although he has yet to secure a permanent position on the team.

In stark contrast, Ebnoutalib has accepted an invitation from German national coach Jürgen Klopp, a decision that prompted Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi to express some disappointment. Ouahbi revealed that Morocco had been tracking Ebnoutalib since last season and believed he possessed a profile that would be beneficial to the team. In his remarks, Ouahbi stated, "I spoke with him and explained the Morocco project—without making any promises." He emphasized that Ebnoutalib deserved a call-up but ultimately chose a different path. "The matter is settled. We are currently ranked sixth in the world and will continue to move forward," Ouahbi concluded, highlighting Morocco's strong position compared to Germany, which ranks twelfth.

In addition to El-Faouzi, four more Bundesliga players are included in Morocco's 29-man roster, led by Achraf Hakimi of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. The squad also features Ismael Saibari from Bayern Munich, Zakaria El Ouahdi from Hamburger SV, Neil El Aynaoui from RB Leipzig, and Bilal El Khannouss from VfB Stuttgart. The matches scheduled for September 25 in Rabat against Gabon and four days later in Bloemfontein, South Africa against Lesotho are part of the qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027. The encounter with Ghana on October 4 in Tangier will serve as a test match.

As reported by sport1.de.