Morocco head coach Walid Regragui on Tuesday, December 13, maintained that his allegiance remains with his team, despite possessing French citizenship.
Speaking to FIFA ahead of their semifinal clash with France at the World Cup, Walid noted that his team was focused on achieving the penultimate glory of reaching the World Cup Finals.
He noted that the match would be a special treat for his loved ones, family and relatives.
The Moroccan manager grew up in France and also played the majority of his football career in France.
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“It's somehow special for me too, since I'm also French and grew up in France. However, I'm trying to escape this debate and think only about football.
“I'm the coach of my country, that's up against my second country, so to speak, and the objective is to knock out France. It's a football game, and that's all it is, and in no way does it take away my love for France,” Walid stated.
Morocco will play France at the Al Bayt stadium on Wednesday, December 14, with the 47-year-old manager leading his team against his former teammate Olivier Giroud.
Walid during his spell in France played alongside Giroud at Grenoble. He has also played for other clubs like Toulouse, Ajaccio and Dijon
During the interview, he also explained the vital role the mothers of Moroccan footballers play in the FIFA World Cup Qatar.
Walid noted he thought it was important for the mothers to be around in order to experience the World Cup with their children.
He revealed that the mothers are accorded the opportunity of spending three to four hours celebrating with the players.
Morocco is the first African nation to progress to a World Cup semi-final and will be hoping to go down in history as the first African nation to reach the finals.
Walid is responsible for the team's outstanding performance at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with Morocco making history after edging out Portugal in the quarter-finals.
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