"Former" Barcelona player wants to play for Morocco

[MrAmir]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43715839

Barcelona forward Munir El Haddadi is challenging Fifa rules which stop players switching national allegiances.

The 22-year-old was a substitute for Spain in a European Championship qualifier in September 2014 but now wants to play for Morocco, where his parents are from.

Fifa rejected an application to change nationalities in March.

El Haddadi and the Morocco Football Federation (FRMF) have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

El Haddadi, who is on loan at Spanish club Alaves from Barcelona, was born in Spain.

The international governing body's rules state that players cannot represent a nation if they have already played for another country in a competitive fixture.

Cas said it has been asked to make a decision by mid-May "in order for the player's sporting nationality to be decided prior to the commencement of the 2018 World Cup".

It will now select a panel of three arbitrators to hear the case.

"Following the hearing, the panel will deliberate and issue a decision in the form of an arbitral award," the body added.

[PrinceAli]

That would be unreal if they allow him to switch after playing in a competitive match..

[persian_pooya]

Yeah we don' have to worry cause they don't have gulf oil money to buy Fifa representatives so they're appeal will be rejected

[Kiarash]

Barcelona player wants to play for Morocco

Even if he switches to Morocco, Renard will not include him in the 23 man squad. It would ruin the team dynamics when a player who wasn’t involved in the entire qualifying campaign at all suddenly gets to replace a player who did.

Maybe that’s why CQ benches Ghoddos during Team Melli games as well. Just my thoughts.

[Gotham]

He can't switch, it's virtually impossible

[mahestan]

Yeah we don' have to worry cause they don't have PERSIAN gulf oil money to buy Fifa representatives so they're appeal will be rejected

There, I fixed that for you. Next time, lets use the correct name. Was wondering if you are talking about Gulf of Mexico, or Gulf of Tonkin.

[diz]

sorry, won't happen. If they let him switch, then all bets are off for anyone who sat on the bench and never played for a national team. They can just switch if they don't get any playing time. Makes no sense.

[AminGP]

Even if he switches to Morocco, Renard will not include him in the 23 man squad. It would ruin the team dynamics when a player who wasn’t involved in the entire qualifying campaign at all suddenly gets to replace a player who did.

Maybe that’s why CQ benches Ghoddos during Team Melli games as well. Just my thoughts.

I don't think it will. We invited Beitashour and Davari once we had qualified already to the world cup and it didn't affect our team at all. Munir is a fantastic player and it could even boost their confidence with having him in their team.