Born in France to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother, Ismaël Bennacer could have followed a very different international career trajectory than the one he experienced…
The 2019 CAN winner became an Algerian international in 2016, at the age of just 18. “There was no hesitation, it was a choice of the heart and above all a sporting choice“, he declared at the time. However, it is no secret that the AC Milan midfielder represented the France in U18 and U19 and he had seriously considered defending the colors of Morocco, to which he was close at one time.
“We invited him. We agreed with the dad. And then at the last moment, he chose Algeria“, confided the former National Technical Director of Morocco, Nasser Larguet, in December 2022 for RMC. The trainer made new juicy revelations during a live broadcast with JMA TV Friday.
Morocco refused Bennacer’s condition
Indeed, the short-lived former coach of Marseille Olympic said that Bennacer had been even closer to opting for Morocco than one might think. And that it was simply the refusal to grant him sporting guarantees which would have pushed him into the arms of the Fennecs.
“It was almost a given that Bennacer would come and play for Morocco. He wanted me to tell him that he would be directly in the A team. I told him that he would integrate the team gradually, like Achraf Hakimi did. He refused and chose Algeria”confided the 66-year-old man.
These remarks therefore suggest that Algeria did not necessarily represent the first choice of the 27-year-old Milanese. These revelations are clearly causing discussion among supporters and will certainly disappoint some. Even if, for many, Bennacer, 51 caps and 2 goals, will remain above all one of the great architects of the CAN 2019 coronation, with the status of best player of the tournament and more generally a flawless involvement in the selection. And whatever his initial motivations may have been.
Belgium
