GENEVA: FIFA has rejected a request from the Moroccan soccer federation to let Munir El Haddadi change nationality from Spain despite easing its eligibility rules last month.
The decision can be challenged by Morocco and the player at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, soccer’s world governing body said Thursday.
Any appeal would be the second for Morocco and El Haddadi against FIFA at sport’s highest court. They lost a previous ruling weeks before the 2018 World Cup — a case that was a factor in FIFA revisiting its national eligibility rules for players.
Two years ago, FIFA’s rules bound El Haddadi to Spain because he had played a single competitive game for the senior national team. As a 19-year-old Barcelona player in 2014, he was a late substitute in a European Championship qualifying game.
FIFA’s member federations voted last month for relaxed rules to help players with multiple nationalities switch allegiance. El Haddadi was born in Spain and has Moroccan family ties.
The conditions include that: a player appeared no more than three times for a senior national team; none of those games was at a major tournament; at least three years have passed since playing for the senior national team; the player did not represent his first country after turning 21.
Morocco called up El Haddadi last week to play in two friendlies during the current international period, including against Senegal on Friday in Rabat.
The Sevilla forward’s appearance for Spain’s senior team is no longer a barrier to his intended switch.
However, there is an issue with his games for Spain’s Under-21 team in European qualifiers after he turned 21 in September 2016.
The new FIFA rule requires “at the time of being fielded for his last match in an official competition in any kind of football for his current association, he had not turned 21 years old.”
Since FIFA made its ruling last month, El Haddadi posted a clip on his Twitter account expressing thanks to Spain and looking toward the Morocco flag.
FIFA rejects Munir El Haddadi bid to switch to Morocco from Spain
https://arab.news/2erzf
FIFA rejects Munir El Haddadi bid to switch to Morocco from Spain
- Two years ago, FIFA’s rules bound El Haddadi to Spain because he had played a single competitive game for the senior national team
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
