Morocco has just secured a great talent before the U17 Africa Cup of Nations. Marouane Bakkour, an emerging star on the Dutch side FC Groningen, has decided to represent Morocco about the Netherlands.
Bakkour was born as the son of a Moroccan father and a Surinamic mother of Indonesian descent and can play in central midfield in various positions.
The 17-year-old dropped out the Netherlands just a few months after wearing her shirt and instead decided on Morocco. The midfielder was approached by Moroccan officials who quickly distributed themselves to his potential.
Bakkour will now join the U17 squad of the Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins from March 20 to April 19 in Morocco in Morocco.
The Moroccan team will compete against Uganda, Tanzania and Sambia in the group phase. The two best teams of each group go directly to the quarter-finals and will also book a ticket for the FIFA U17 World Cup from Qatar from November 5 to 27, 2025.
But with the U17 Afcon around the corner, Morocco will organize a friendly tournament from February 18 to 22 February with Egypt, Senegal and Sambia. This will be the last test for the young squad before you enter the continental competition.
The Moroccan Football Association has increased efforts in recent months to bring talents from abroad, and Bakkour is one of the latest success.
