How A 13 Minute Cameo Has Cost Munir A Place At The World Cup

Morocco were looking to bring Munir El Haddadi into their national team picture for the World Cup but FIFA have rejected their request, meaning it's pretty much a given that the 22-year old won't be appearing at the showpiece.

The Barcelona forward's best chance of regular international football was with the place of his father's birth, and the powers that be in the Morocco football federation asked for Munir's international allegiance to be switched.

Yet, the governing body had no choice but to turn down their entreat because of the fact that an 18-year old Munir played 13 minutes for Spain in a Euro 2016 qualifying game against Macedonia in 2014.

FIFA rules state that: "Any player who has already participated in a match (either in full or in part) in an official competition of any category or any type of football for one association may not play an international match for a representative team of another association."

The "official competition" bit is key here as there have been plenty of examples of players changing nationality in recent times - Diego Costa and Wilfried Zaha being two of the most high-profile.

Zaha now plays international football for Ivory Coast. Image: PA

However, because they only featured in friendlies and not competitive fixtures, they were granted the ability to play for another country they have links to.

Munir, who has featured 16 times for Spain's Under 21's and was tipped for stardom at Barcelona, has scored six goals on loan at Alaves.

Image: PA

His stock has fallen dramatically though and there are probably about 15 players ahead of him in the pecking order in the Spain national team set-up, much to his frustration.

Vicente Del Bosque, the man who gave him his La Roja debut, regrets doing so.

"I feel responsible for Munir not being able to play for Morocco," Del Bosque was quoted as saying in December.

"Munir's situation is a shame. I think he should be able to play for Morocco. One should look at why he hasn't come since and why he was selected. It was due to a player being injured that we called up Munir."

Poor fella.

(h/t ESPN)

Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, International Football, Spain, La Liga

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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