Young Player Sofiane Rahimi Sparks Controversy Over National Team Decision
Sofiane Rahimi, a promising talent from Italian club Genoa, has stirred debate by expressing his desire to represent the Peruvian national team instead of his native Morocco.
At 17 years old, Rahimi was born in Italy to a Moroccan father and a Peruvian mother, and he holds three nationalities: Moroccan, Italian, and Peruvian.
In statements reported by Peruvian newspaper La República, the player said, “The Peruvian national team is my dream. When I watch their matches and see the fans, I feel a unique emotion. I want to play on that field and represent my mother’s country.”
Despite his clear Moroccan heritage, Rahimi confirmed his choice to align his football career with Peru, noting that he is fluent in Spanish and holds a valid Peruvian passport, which facilitates his potential call-up to the national team.
The young player also discussed his beginnings in football, revealing that he was selected from over a thousand young athletes to join the under-18 team at Genoa. He previously excelled with the San Bartolomeo team in Brescia, where he scored 34 goals in 40 matches.
Rahimi added regarding his new experience in Italy: “The competition is very strong; all the players are talented. But I work hard every day and believe I will improve significantly by the end of the season.”
With this statement, Sofiane Rahimi joins a list of dual-nationality players who have chosen to play for teams other than Morocco, as the Royal Moroccan Football Federation seeks to attract talent from the diaspora in Europe.
