Ayyoub Bouaddi has officially chosen to represent Morocco national football team at international level, with Bruno Genesio insisting he deliberately stayed out of the midfielder’s decision-making process.
The announcement surrounding the 18-year-old’s international future has sparked major discussion in both France and Morocco, particularly given his rapid rise at LOSC Lille.
Speaking during a press conference, Bruno Genesio stressed that decisions regarding national allegiance should remain deeply personal and free from outside influence.
“It’s neither my role nor my job to advise them on that, when it’s a choice that should be guided by what’s inside you,” Genesio said.
“Choosing a nation is a very powerful thing and it belongs to each of us. Everyone has their own way of experiencing their choices, so it wasn’t my role to advise them.”
The Lille coach added that he intentionally avoided trying to shape the player’s thinking because he believed doing so would have been inappropriate.
“It would have been very inappropriate. I didn’t want to influence them. We can have an opinion, but it’s often biased because we don’t have the same feelings as the people involved.”
Genesio also revealed that Ayyoub Bouaddi informed him of the decision privately earlier in the week before the news became public.
The talented midfielder is regarded as one of the brightest emerging players in Ligue 1 and is now expected to become part of Morocco’s long-term plans ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bouaddi’s commitment represents another important success for the Moroccan federation as it continues to strengthen its pool of young dual-nationality talent.
The teenager’s performances for LOSC Lille have already attracted widespread attention despite his age, and his international future is likely to remain closely followed in the coming years.
Genesio concluded by reiterating that such decisions are ultimately emotional choices connected to identity, family and personal conviction rather than football pressure from clubs or coaches.
