Real Madrid's Thiago Pitarch Chooses Spain Over Morocco
Real Madrid youngster Thiago Pitarch has snubbed Morocco to pledge his future to Spain's under-18s.
The 17-year-old midfielder, tipped for a bright future at the Bernabéu, has accepted Spain head coach David Tenorio's invitation to join La Roja 26-man squad for an upcoming training camp from April 1 to 9, shutting the door on his Moroccan heritage – for now.
Born in Fuenlabrada, just outside Madrid, Pitarch honed his footballing skills at Atlético Madrid, Getafe, and Leganés before joining Real's famed La Fábrica academy. Despite Moroccan roots through his father and grandparents from Al Hoceima, Pitarch has opted to represent Spain's youth team.
According to reports from Spanish media outlets Mundo Deportivo and Marca, Spain acted quickly to lock Pitarch down before Morocco could swoop in with an official call-up for their U17 setup.
Pitarch is capable of playing in central midfield or as a wide man. Los Blancos' coaches are keeping a close eye on his progress, hoping he will soon break into the first-team setup under the watchful eye of academy coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
The teenager's decision is the latest twist in the tug-of-war between federations for top dual-nationality talents – most notably for Chemsdine Talbi, Ayyoub Bouaddi, and Brahim Rabbaj.
Morocco had high hopes of securing his services for the youth team, but Spain's early intervention appears to have won the contest. Tags: Ayyoub BouaddiChemsdine TalbiReal MadridThiago PitarchU17 Morocco
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
44 minutes ago
- Morocco World
Algeria vs. Sweden: Prediction, Where, and When to Watch Friendly Match
Rabat – Algeria will face off against Sweden for the second time ever tonight in a friendly game. The match will take place at 6 p.m. Moroccan time. Sports Mole expects a draw in today's game, expecting Sweden and Algeria to finish 1-1. 'With both sides in buoyant form and Algeria particularly impressive on the road- now six away games unbeaten- this fixture promises to be tightly contested,' the news outlet said. On the Swedish side, Sports Mole expects the team to feature Olsen, Gudmundsson, Hien, Edai, Sevensson, Ayari, Saletros, Larsson, Bernhardsson, Elanga, and Nygren. The same source expects the lineup to include Atal, Tougai, Bensebaini, Hadjam, Zerrouki, Maza, Bentaleb, Mahrez, and Bounedjah. People in Sweden seeking to watch the game can do so via Viaplay and TV4 Play, and ENTV and TV 6 'will be showing the action in Algeria.' The first time the Algerian team faced Sweden was in 2022, when it was defeated 2-0. Sweden won most of its friendlies recently, including 5-1 against Northern Ireland and 2-0 against Hungary. The squad also won games against Azerbaijan and Slovakia as part of the UEFA Nations League, scoring 6-0 and 2-1, respectively. Algeria also won its friendly game against Rwanda 2-0, and won a qualification game for AFCON against Gambia 3-0. Its victories also include a 5-1 victory over Mozambique as part of the CAF World Cup Qualifiers, and another game as part of the same competition, 3-1 against Botswana. Tags: Donald Trump and Swedenmorocco and sweden
Ya Biladi
5 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Friendly match : Ayoub El Kaabi secures victory for Morocco against Benin
With a revamped lineup, Morocco edged past Benin 1–0 in a friendly match on Monday evening at the Fès Sports Complex. As announced beforehand, Walid Regragui used the occasion to test new strategies and explore fresh options. Zakaria El Ouahdi started on the right flank, stepping in for Achraf Hakimi, the PSG star and newly crowned European champion. In goal, Munir Kajoui, fresh off a CAF Confederation Cup victory with RS Berkane, was given the start. In midfield, Oussama Saharoui was tasked with supporting El Kaabi and Rahimi up front. From the outset, the Atlas Lions applied heavy pressure against a Beninese side that sat deep in defense. Saibari and Rahimi set the tone early in the first half. Morocco pushed hard for openings, constantly threatening the opposition's box, but Benin stayed compact, looking for counterattacks that were mostly snuffed out in midfield. In the 33rd minute, El Kaabi missed a left-footed shot after a defensive miscommunication on the Beninese side. Just seconds before halftime, El Kaabi redeemed himself with one of the most spectacular goals of his career — a bicycle kick finish off a perfect cross from Masina, whom Regragui later called «the pleasant surprise» of the night. Morocco went into the break with a deserved 1–0 lead. The second half followed a similar pattern: Moroccan dominance in attack against a disciplined Beninese defense. Regragui made a few changes, bringing on Targhalline and Zouhzouh to inject energy into the midfield. Bilal El Khannouss and Marouane also came off the bench.
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
FIFA Promises Spectacular Club World Cup Ceremony Starring Morocco's French Montana
Rabat — FIFA is gearing up for a grand opening ceremony for the FIFA Club World Cup, which is coming next Saturday. The opening ceremony will take place at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium at 7:15 p.m. local time, which is after midnight in Morocco. The lineup for the grand opening ceremony will see superstars like Morocco's French Montana, as well as Swae Lee. 'Adding some global firepower to the line-up, hitmakers French Montana and Swae Lee will keep raising the energy levels just before the ball starts rolling with a genre-blending, high-octane performance – bringing a rap style that moves seamlessly between melody and momentum,' FIFA said on its website. Proud of his Moroccan roots, French Montana has many famous hits, including 'Unforgettable', 'Welcome to the Party', 'Famous', and 'All the Way Up'. Several rising stars will also be featured, including Vikina and Richaelio, with FIFA certain that they will bring 'rhythm, movement, and unmistakable Latin flair to a powerful performance.' The performance is produced by Emilio Esteefan Jr. 'We're welcoming the world to Miami with music, joy, and unity,' Estegan said, noting that the show will celebrate a multicultural sound from across the world. Morocco's Wydad Casablanca is among the clubs participating in the giant competition. The Moroccan club is among the challenging Group G, which includes champions like Manchester City, Juventus, as well as the UAE's Al Ain. Wydad will play against Manchester City at 5 p.m. Moroccan time, allowing fans to cheer on the Moroccan players racing for the FIFA Club World Cup trophy. The opening game will take place between Bayern Munich and Auckland City at 5 p.m. Moroccan time, followed by several other games, including Al Ahly vs Inter Miami at 1 a.m. Moroccan time. PSG versus Atlético Madrid will also be on Sunday at 8 p.m., as well as Palmeiras versus Porto at 11 p.m. Tags: Draw of the FIFA Club World CupFrench Montana
