The son of a Morocco legend snubs the Atlas Lions in favour of France!

A major blow for the Lions

Morocco are hunting for the next generation capable of wearing the "Atlas Lions" shirt. One name has just surfaced through a very different gateway, reigniting the familiar tug-of-war between national teams over dual-nationality talents.

Qais El Mottaki, the promising young striker and son of former Morocco captain Mehdi Benatia, has chosen to represent France at youth level. He officially joined the France Under-15 squad this Friday, his first international appearance at national team level.

Born in 2012, El Mottaki plays in the youth ranks at Olympique de Marseille. He will feature for the France Under-15s at the World Cup festival for his age category, turning his back, at least for now, on the path his father carved out across a distinguished career in Morocco colours.

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French reports frame the call-up as part of the wider scramble among federations for young players with more than one sporting nationality on the table. At this age, the regulations still allow El Mottaki to switch allegiance in the future, long before he reaches the stage of senior international football.

The French Football Federation has named 18 players born in 2012 for the first edition of the Under-15 World Cup and festival. Baku hosts the tournament from 22 to 30 October, with some of the brightest talents in the age bracket on show.

None of this slams the door on a future with Morocco. But pulling on the shirt of Les Bleus is a striking way to begin an international career, especially for the son of one of Morocco's finest defenders of recent years. The family name is back on the international stage, only this time through France.