Netherlands vs. Morocco: Are the Atlas Lions still the 'plan B' for dual nationals not good enough for the Oranje?

'All the Moroccans who are not good enough here end up playing for Morocco. There is only Ziyech that I would have wanted in the squad.' In March, Rafael van der Vaart did not hold back. True to his reputation as a provocative pundit, the former Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder argued that the Atlas Lions were merely picking up Dutch scraps in the battle for dual nationals.

A few months later, the fixture schedule has offered a delicious twist. The Netherlands and Morocco meet in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup on Monday evening. But was van der Vaart actually right?

The best used to choose the Netherlands

Beyond the sporting spectacle, this is also a clash between two countries linked by a significant history of migration. More than 400,000 people of Moroccan origin live in the Netherlands today, representing approximately 2.4 per cent of the population. A community born from waves of labour immigration in the 1960s, it has profoundly shaped both Dutch and Moroccan football.

Throughout the 2000s and into the early 2010s, the answer seemed obvious. The best Dutch-Moroccan talents overwhelmingly opted for the Netherlands.

Khalid Boulahrouz, Ibrahim Afellay and, a decade later, Anwar El Ghazi all chose the Oranje. Each was considered capable of establishing himself at the highest European level, while Morocco was enduring a long period of sporting instability.

At that time, the Atlas Lions were often seen as the second choice for dual nationals — a selection of the heart rather than a sporting project capable of rivalling the game's major nations.

Ziyech and Mazraoui changed everything

The first major turning point was Hakim Ziyech.

Few supporters remember it today, but the former Ajax playmaker came very close to making his senior debut for the Netherlands. Then-manager Guus Hiddink had planned to hand him his first cap against Latvia in 2014, only for an injury to derail those plans entirely.

A year later, Ziyech chose Morocco for good. It was a decision that would transform his career and, crucially, reshape the image of the Moroccan national team for the generations that followed.

Then came Noussair Mazraoui. Expected to start on Monday evening, the full-back, despite being born and raised in the Netherlands, never truly hesitated. He has spoken about meeting Ronald Koeman 'out of respect', before the Dutch manager quickly understood that his mind was already made up.

'After five minutes, he told me — "You already know what you are going to do, do you not?" I said — "Yes." He saw it in my eyes — Morocco is there,' the defender recently explained.

Those two decisions marked a genuine shift in perception.

Morocco are not yet winning every battle

However, it would be premature to speak of a complete reversal in the balance of power.

Yes, the Atlas Lions are now a more attractive proposition. Born in France, Ayyoub Bouaddi chose Morocco. In Belgium, Chemsdine Talbi and Rayane Bounida followed the same path. In Spain, Brahim Diaz eventually committed after lengthy deliberation, while Achraf Hakimi had paved the way long before him. All are talents who, with a little patience, could likely have represented their countries of birth.

In the Netherlands, the trend is also shifting, though more gradually. Mohamed Ihattaren initially chose the Oranje before eventually switching to Morocco several years later, having remained on the bench during his only call-ups in 2020 and having seen his career decline.

Couhaib Driouech appeared to waver for a time despite limited prospects with the Netherlands. As for Anass Salah-Eddine, his path with the Oranje looked entirely blocked when he opted for the Atlas Lions.

In other words, Morocco have significantly closed the gap without yet winning every battle — whether in the Netherlands or elsewhere, as the example of Lamine Yamal demonstrates.

The next generation could tip the balance

This is perhaps where the real stakes lie for the years ahead.

With the appointment of Mohamed Ouahbi as senior team manager, the Moroccan federation has placed its trust in a coach who knows Benelux football inside out and understands the young generations emerging from the diaspora.

The federation has also deployed a highly effective system over the past two years to court young dual nationals across Europe, and the results are already visible. Several youngsters developed in the Netherlands, such as Ayoub Ouarghi, Oualid Agougil, Benjamin Khaderi, Aymean El Hani and Sami Bouhoudane, have chosen to represent Morocco.

Not to mention Abdellah Ouazane, named best player at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 tournament and widely regarded as one of Moroccan football's brightest prospects.

All of which confirms that the Moroccan strategy is bearing fruit. The question now is whether it will eventually convince the very best Dutch-Moroccan talents on a consistent basis.

It will probably be the next superstar to emerge from a Dutch academy who provides the definitive answer to the debate van der Vaart started. For a long time, the best seemed to gravitate naturally towards the Oranje. Today, Morocco can compete. Tomorrow, it could well become the preferred destination.