Hervé Renard has criticised Brahim Diaz after the Real Madrid midfielder opted to represent Morocco instead of France.
Díaz, who was born in Spain and had been part of Spain’s youth teams, was eligible for several countries. For a long time, the expectation was that he would try to make it with France, where Renard previously worked.
Renard made it clear he has no sympathy for the decision. He said he does not like players changing their international choice after previously leaning toward another country, and stressed that national teams should not be treated as a back-up plan.
The former Morocco coach, who led the Atlas Lions at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017 and took them to the 2018 World Cup, added that representing a country should be about commitment, not opportunity.
The comments come after Díaz’s switch to Morocco was confirmed, a move that has drawn strong reactions because of his profile at Real Madrid and Morocco’s recent progress on the international stage.
