Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has reacted to news that a Real Madrid star has reportedly chosen to represent an African giant over La Furia Roja.
Los Blancos attacker Brahim Diaz is said to have made the decision to play for Morocco instead of Spain, with the Spain head coach saying he respects the player's call to do so.
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The Atlas Lions are believed to have had him on their radar since as early as before the 208 FIFA World Cup.
Now that a decision is said to have finally been made, De la Fuente highlighted the importance of a player wanting to represent his national side.
"Total respect, absolutely. Each person's position serves to make the decisions they have to make," he said, per Fichajes.
"But I have also always said that there is three maxims when it comes to being a player.
"One, in this case, that he can play for the national team, two, that he wants to do so, and three that the coach calls him up.
"But the most important thing is to want, without demands and without conditions, in equality of rights and obligations with the rest."
The 24-year-old was born in Malaga to a Spanish mother and a Moroccan father, making him eligible for the Atlas Lions.
Diaz, however, went on to represent his nation of birth at youth level.
He also won a cap for the senior team in 2021, in a friendly against Lithuania in which he scored to help Spain to a 4-0 victory.
The former Manchester City star, however, remains eligible to represent the country his father from.
As such, it is believed that Morocco have now finally convinced him to switch his international allegiance.
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Reports suggest that the attacking midfielder could be selected as part of the squad for the Atlas Lions' upcoming fixtures against Angola and Mauritania during the international break later this month.
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