After just half a year of playing for the third team of the "Barcelona" youth academy, Munir El Haddadi is already trying on the jerseys of the Spanish men's national team.
The invitation to the national team came to the nineteen-year-old footballer after striker Diego Costa suffered an injury.
At the end of August, M. El Haddadi represented the Spanish U21 national team in a match against Hungary and was already preparing for a September match with peers from Austria when he received an invitation from the "Furia Roja" camp.
"When I found out that I was invited to the Spanish men's national team, I was amazed. It is an exceptional opportunity to train with the most powerful players on the planet and gain even more experience. This opportunity must be seized," - the young footballer expressed his emotions.
In the U21 team, the footballer will be replaced by another product of the "Barcelona" academy, striker Sandro Ramirez.
M. El Haddadi's career curve has been rising rapidly lately.
In the spring, the footballer, led by "Barca" triumphed in the UEFA Youth Champions League tournament. In the decisive match, M. El Haddadi, who scored two goals, led "Barca" to a 3-0 victory over the youth of Lisbon's "Benfica". The third goal of the match was especially memorable, as the striker scored with a precise shot from the middle of the field.
In addition, the young talent of the Catalan club became the top scorer of the tournament. He scored 11 goals.
"It's like a dream that has become reality," - describes the striker his current situation.
Vicente del Bosque, the head coach of the Spanish men's national team, says that the young player should not be under additional pressure now, and he has enough time to think everything over.
M. El Haddadi is now at a crossroads. The player's father came to Spain from Morocco when he was just eighteen and led him here. Born in a small town in the province of Madrid, Munir still has the right to defend the colors of the Moroccan national team, but if the footballer plays at least one official match for the Spanish national team, he will no longer be able to represent any other country's team.
fcbarcelona.lt
