Ebnoutalib reveals the call that settled his international future

Younes Ebnoutalib has revealed that a personal phone call from Jurgen Klopp was the decisive factor in his decision to represent Germany rather than Morocco.

The Eintracht Frankfurt striker had been monitored by the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) for some time and previously represented Morocco at Under-15 level. However, he opted for Germany as his performances in the Bundesliga began to attract greater attention.

His decision prompted criticism from some Morocco supporters, with national team manager Mohamed Ouahbi also facing questions over how the player’s case had been handled. Ebnoutalib’s representatives had strongly criticised the coach’s approach.

But the 23-year-old, who was born and developed in Germany, has now offered a different explanation for his choice. Asked about discussions with Morocco, he said one intervention had proved impossible to resist.

“There were discussions with Morocco. But when Jurgen Klopp calls, you cannot say no,” Ebnoutalib said.

Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, had held lengthy talks with the forward in an effort to persuade him to join Germany. His direct involvement carried significant weight as Ebnoutalib considered which of his two countries to represent.

The decision has therefore added context to the criticism aimed at Ouahbi. The Morocco coach had previously said that Ebnoutalib had been followed well before his recent breakthrough and suggested Germany had not selected him during the previous season.

“He is a player we have been following for a long time. I do not think he was in Germany’s preliminary squad last season,” Ouahbi said, in comments that included a pointed reference to the Mannschaft. The remark prompted a vehement response from the player’s agent.

Ouahbi also said he had personally spoken to Ebnoutalib about Morocco’s plans, while making clear that no place in the squad had been guaranteed.

“We went to see him, we scouted him, I had a telephone conversation with him and explained the project without promising anything,” Ouahbi said.

That account was disputed by the player’s camp and helped fuel suggestions that the FRMF had mishandled negotiations. Ebnoutalib’s latest comments, however, indicate that Morocco did engage with him and that Germany ultimately possessed a particularly powerful advantage.

Ouahbi had already moved to end the matter, saying: “Morocco is not negotiated, it is earned. He earned the right to be called up, he would have been called up today [...] but he chose Germany. Good luck to him, the matter is closed.”

Ebnoutalib has now chosen his country of birth while enjoying a breakthrough campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt. The competition for places in Germany’s squad will be fierce, and selection alone offers no guarantee of a sustained international career.

His decision was made with that challenge in mind. He must now justify the confidence shown in him and ensure that the call which helped settle his choice does not eventually become one he regrets.