Belgium loses another football talent as Rayane Bounida opts for Morocco
Rayane Bounida will not play for the Belgian national team, as the AFC Ajax winger has chosen to represent Morocco. He is the latest Belgian-born football talent to opt for his parents' country over the one where he grew up.
Born and raised in Belgium, Bounida represented the country's youth teams and earned two caps for the Belgian under-21 side. However, due to his Moroccan heritage, he officially opted to represent Morocco this week. Under FIFA rules, players can choose their national team provided they have not yet made a senior international appearance.
The Ajax winger is not the first player to make such a decision. Chemsdine Talbi, Ismael Saibari and Bilal El Khannouss have all chosen Morocco in recent years, despite being raised in Belgium. Noah Sadiki and Mario Stroeykens chose Congo over the Red Devils. Konstantinos Karetsas, considered one of Europe's most promising young players, opted to represent Greece in 2025.
Their decisions were facilitated by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA)'s passive approach in recent years. It did not consistently keep in touch with or follow up on youth talents with multiple nationalities, allowing other federations to persuade them to choose their national team over Belgium.
Proactive approach
This approach is now being revised under technical director Vincent Mannaert, who was appointed following Belgium's disappointing campaign at UEFA Euro 2024. He has introduced a more proactive policy, requiring players involved in Belgian youth teams to commit to the Red Devils.
"We need to monitor these cases more closely and in a more structured way," Mannaert told Het Nieuwsblad last year. "Only those who clearly state that they wish to play for Belgium will be selected for the national youth teams. If they are unsure about their preferred country, other players will get that chance."
Despite a series of high-profile defections, the revised approach is beginning to yield results. Jorthy Mokio, who has Congolese roots, and Diego Moreira, eligible for Portugal, both opted for Belgium in 2025. Moreira's decision in particular surprised many observers, as he had represented Portugal's youth teams since 2019.
© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY
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