Real Madrid star emulates Yamal, rejects African country

Real Madrid’s 18-year-old midfield sensation Thiago Pitarch has ended months of intense speculation by publicly pledging his allegiance to the Spanish national team.

This comes after a concerted recruitment effort from the Moroccan Football Federation to recruit him for the Atlas Lions—given his patrilineal tie to the country—which he appears to have rebuffed.

Following his recent call-up to Spain’s Under-21 squad, the Fuenlabrada-born dual-national confirmed his intent to play for the senior La Roja, stating, "My dream is to debut with the main national team." 

His declaration effectively shuts the door on the Atlas Lions, who aggressively attempted to woo the teenager with promises of an accelerated pathway to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a pitch recently amplified by a public invitation from veteran Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. 

By committing to La Roja, Pitarch follows in the footsteps of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, who famously chose Spain over Morocco, dealing another blow to the North African nation in the fierce, ongoing tug-of-war between the two federations for elite dual-nationality talents.

Pitarch’s highly contested international status is a direct result of his meteoric rise at Real Madrid this season under head coach Álvaro Arbeloa. 

After extending his contract until 2030 in August 2025, the teenager made his senior debut in February this year, coming on as a 94th-minute substitute for Eduardo Camavinga in the 1-0 away victory over Benfica in the UCL. 

He has since seamlessly integrated into the first team, amassing eight senior appearances (four in La Liga and four in Europe). 

Pitarch even etched his name into the history books on March 11, when he delivered a midfield masterclass in a 3-0 victory over Manchester City, becoming the youngest Spanish player to ever start a Champions League knockout match for Real Madrid at just 18 years and 220 days old.