Morocco's long-term investment in developing relationships with dual-national talent appears to have secured another major success.
According to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD), Ajax midfielder Abdellah Ouazane has decided to represent Morocco at senior international level, bringing an end to months of speculation over whether he would choose the Atlas Lions or the Netherlands.
The 17-year-old has represented both countries at youth level, but the report says he has now made a definitive decision in favor of Morocco.
A Decision Guided by the Heart
According to AD, Ouazane took considerable time before reaching his decision, carefully reflecting on his international future before ultimately choosing the country of his family's heritage.
"It was a matter of weighing things up, a lot of thinking, before he ultimately followed his heart," the newspaper wrote.
The report adds that those close to the midfielder insist the decision was driven primarily by his personal feelings rather than external influence, despite the strong relationship he also maintained with Dutch football.
Part of Morocco's Long-Term Vision
The report also links Ouazane's decision to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation's (FRMF) long-term strategy of strengthening ties with talented members of the Moroccan diaspora.
Former FRMF Technical Director Chris Van Puyvelde explained that recruiting dual-national players became one of the federation's strategic priorities during his time in Morocco.
"Our plan with Appie worked well," Van Puyvelde told AD, referring to Ouazane by his nickname. He added that the federation invested significant time in building relationships with both players and their families rather than focusing solely on football.
Building Trust Beyond the Pitch
Van Puyvelde revealed that much of the federation's communication took place with Ouazane's family, particularly his mother.
"I had a lot of contact with his mother. Mothers have carried a child for nine months and have different concerns from fathers, who often want to talk about football. Mothers want to know whether their child will end up in the right place."
According to the former technical director, establishing trust and maintaining regular communication played an important role throughout the process.
Focus Turns to Ajax and Morocco
With his international future reportedly settled, Ouazane can now concentrate on continuing his development with Ajax, where he is regarded as one of the club's brightest young prospects.
The talented midfielder was strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid last year before the proposed transfer reportedly fell through, allowing Ajax to retain one of the Netherlands' most promising young players.
Another Bright Prospect for the Atlas Lions
If the reported decision is finalized at senior international level, Ouazane would become another exciting addition to Morocco's rapidly emerging generation of talent.
His reported commitment further reflects the strength of Morocco's youth development strategy and its growing ability to unite elite players from across the global Moroccan diaspora under one national team.
As the Atlas Lions continue building for the future, the reported arrival of Abdellah Ouazane represents another encouraging sign that Morocco's next generation is ready to carry the nation's footballing ambitions forward.