Young player Ryan Bouida has decided to represent the Moroccan national football team internationally, thereby ending his association with Belgium, according to local media reports.
Bouida, who is 20 years old and a graduate of Ajax Amsterdam’s academy, informed the Belgian Football Union of his final decision despite efforts made over the past months to convince him to continue his journey with the “Red Devils.”
Belgian media reported that several technical officials, including the coach of the Under-21 team and the sports director of the federation, held meetings with the player and his circle, presenting an outline of the Belgian national team’s sports project in the coming years in an attempt to persuade him to stay.
Bouida had been called up to the U21 Belgian national team twice last year before making his choice in favor of Morocco, justifying it for personal and subjective reasons, while the Belgian federation acknowledged his decision.
This development fits into a growing trend among several young talents raised in Belgium opting to represent other national teams, including Shamsuddin Talbi, who also chose Morocco, and Konstantinos Kariotis, who preferred to represent Greece.
Morocco continues to attract young talents active in Europe, benefiting from an organized sports project and the positive dynamics seen in its national teams in recent years, reflecting the increasing appeal of Moroccan football on the international stage.
