Issa Diop makes debut for Morocco amid growing dispute with Senegal

[p]The Fulham defender was born in France and played for the country at ‌Under-21 level but on Thursday had his application to switch nationality ‌to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] approved by world football’s governing body FIFA and was immediately drafted ‌into the starting line-up for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ecuador-8tbm8Tri/morocco-IDKYO3R8/?mid=v17JEQCb"]1-1 draw[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]Ecuador[/a] ‌in Madrid.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diop-issa/Eyqbicqr/"]Diop[/a], whose father is Senegalese and mother from Morocco, had previously rejected overtures from both countries to play for them while holding out hope he might represent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]‌France[/a]’.[/p][p]The 29-year-old said several times he wanted to ⁠play for Les Bleus but ‌with no call-up from France coach Didier Deschamps he has now taken up the ​opportunity to possibly play at the World Cup for Morocco.[/p][p][b]“I was very happy to play in a team with a ​lot of good players, and I think I’ve made a good choice,”[/b] Diop said after Friday’s match.[/p][embed guid="571d7bfe-32d6-4c49-a16a-028febb0482b" url="https://x.com/EnMaroc/status/2037327835744919854" social-type="twitter" /][p]Diop had talks with Morocco’s new coach ⁠Mohamed Ouahbi and Moroccan Federation ​President Faouzi Lekjaa.[/p][p][b]“They explained their vision to me and I was taken in with open arms by a cheerful group of players with a great atmosphere in the camp,”[/b] he said.[/p][p]The North Africans have a track ‌record of assiduously courting players with links to the country who they believe can improve their national team but this is the first tug-of-war over player loyalty with another African country they have won.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] also draw heavily on their diaspora in France, and the 28-man squad which won the Cup of Nations in Morocco in January featured 12 French-born players.[/p][p]Senegal this week formally contested the decision of the Confederation of African Football’s Appeal Board to take the title away from them.[/p][p]They were ‌ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 because ​they walked off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive ‌penalty awarded to Morocco, but have now referred the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[/p][p][b]The posturing between the two countries continued on Friday when Senegal held a press conference ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Peru in front of a banner that read “Champions ⁠of Africa”.[/b][/p][p]They are expected to ⁠display the Cup of Nations ‌trophy to supporters ahead of the match at the Stade de France.[/p]