OGC Nice attacking midfielder Sofiane Diop has opened up on his choice to represent Morocco rather than Senegal, in an interview with RFI relayed by Lesiteinfo.
Sofiane Diop made his call three years ago, and he stands by it. In an interview with RFI relayed by Lesiteinfo, the OGC Nice attacking midfielder looked back on his decision to wear the colours of Morocco rather than those of Senegal. A decision taken even before his debut with the Atlas Lions, when he had the option of choosing between three countries.
Born in France to a Senegalese father and a Moroccan mother, the 23-year-old opted for Morocco, earning his first call-up in March 2024 under Walid Regragui. A choice he himself describes as “very difficult”, but which he explains by a desire to get closer to his roots.
“It takes nothing away from my love for Senegal”
In the interview, Sofiane Diop was keen to clarify his position: “It was a very difficult choice, but it takes nothing away from my love for Senegal. I am Senegalese, and there was never any doubt about that in my mind, but I had to make a decision about the national team, and I chose Morocco.” A statement that highlights how complex this kind of decision is for players with dual nationality.
The OGC Nice player explains that he wanted to discover Moroccan culture more deeply and get closer to his roots. A personal choice, then, in which sporting considerations are not absent either: he stresses that competition within the Morocco squad is very fierce and that club form is the only way in.
Fierce competition among the Atlas Lions
That competition is something Sofiane Diop knows well. Despite his talent, he is not in the latest squad named for the November international break. An absence that has not dented his determination, as he insists on the importance of club form if he is to hope for a return.
With OGC Nice, the attacking midfielder has 2 assists in Ligue 1 this season, according to Ligue 1 statistics (ligue1.com). Numbers he will no doubt have to improve to convince the Moroccan staff, with competition raging in a densely packed attacking department.
A national team future still to build
For Sofiane Diop, this is no time for regrets. His choice is made, and he fully embraces his Senegalese origins while defending the colours of Morocco. His journey with the Atlas Lions is only just beginning, having earned his first call-up in March 2024 under Walid Regragui, now the former head coach.
Morocco’s next appointment is the November international break, with a squad in which Diop does not appear. The Nice player will therefore have to keep performing at club level if he is to hope for a recall. One thing is certain: his choice to represent Morocco, difficult as it was, is now a closed chapter.