Ayyoub Bouaddi’s decision to play for Morocco continues to spark reactions just a few days before the match between the Atlas Lions and Les Bleus in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
For Guy Stephan, this decision is in line with a philosophy that Didier Deschamps has clearly embraced.
The French national team’s coaching staff refuses to select a player for the sole purpose of preventing him from representing another country.
The French national team’s assistant coach also highlighted the depth of the French squad in midfield.
With players like Adrien Rabiot, Manu Kone, Warren Zaire-Emery, N’Golo Kante, and Aurélien Tchouameni, competition is already fierce.
“We respect the players choices. The idea has never been to call up someone for just a few minutes solely to tie them permanently to France. Everyone must be able to decide their own international future,” explained Guy Stephan.
