Edan Diop’s Monaco form reignites Senegal-Morocco international debate

Edan Diop’s impressive display for AS Monaco against Toulouse has revived the question of which country the 22-year-old midfielder could represent internationally.

The France-born player scored once and set up another as Monaco drew 2-2 with Toulouse on Saturday, making a strong impression on only his second start of the season.

Diop opened the scoring with a header in the 29th minute before providing the pass for Matthis Abline to make it 2-0 eight minutes later, although Abline did most of the work for the goal.

Rated 6/10 by L’Equipe, Diop also showed his defensive qualities, helping to protect Monaco’s right flank alongside Vanderson. His ability to operate in several positions has added to the attention surrounding his recent performances.

However, it is his international future that has prompted the greatest discussion, particularly among Senegalese and Moroccan supporters.

Diop was born in France to a Senegalese father and a Moroccan mother, meaning he is eligible to play for either country. His surname, which is particularly common in Senegal and among the Wolof community, has added another dimension to the debate.

“C’est un Diop, donc futur international marocain” “He is a Diop, so he will be a future Morocco international” some Senegalese supporters have joked, referring to previous cases.

The latest example is Issa Diop, who was courted by Senegal for several years before choosing Morocco, his mother’s country, in March 2026 at the age of 29. That late decision allowed him to play at the World Cup and establish himself in the Morocco defence.

Edan also has a more immediate example within his own family. His older brother Sofiane Diop, the OGC Nice winger who also came through Monaco, selected Morocco in 2023 after representing France at youth level. His former team-mate Eliesse Ben Seghir had also “pushed” him towards Morocco in 2024.

The brothers were raised with strong links to both sides of their heritage. Speaking to Onze Mondial in 2019, Sofiane said their father regularly sent him to Senegal during the summer holidays to stay with his paternal family, while relatives on his mother’s side lived in France.

That background means Edan’s potential decision would involve more than simply selecting between two passports.

Other players with French, Senegalese and Moroccan backgrounds have made different choices. Ibrahim Mbaye, the young Paris Saint-Germain winger, opted to represent Senegal in November 2025 after playing for France’s youth teams. He too was born to a Senegalese father and Moroccan mother.

Abdoulay Konko took a different route. Born in Marseille to Senegalese and Moroccan parents, the former Sevilla and Lazio defender declined international football altogether.

“I was called up by Morocco and Senegal, but I respectfully refused because I did not want to hurt either of my parents by choosing one over the other,” he told the BBC in 2015.

Diop has played for France Under-19s and Under-20s, but has not publicly stated a preference and neither federation has made an official approach.

If he maintains his form, his international future could soon become another Senegal-Morocco contest.