Five Dutch-born youth internationals choose to represent Morocco

Five Dutch-born youth internationals of Moroccan descent, Sami Bouhoudane, Ayoub Ouarghi, Benjamin Khaderi, Aymean El Hani, and Oualid Agougil, have decided to represent Morocco instead of the Netherlands, according to ESPN.

Among them, only Agougil, a 20-year-old midfielder at Jong FC Utrecht, is older; the other four are all 18. A left-back from Etten-Leur, he came through the youth academies of NAC Breda before joining AFC Ajax at 15. Since 2024, he has been playing for FC Utrecht’s U21 side. Internationally, he represented the Netherlands at U17, U18, and U19 levels, helping the U17 team reach the final of the 2022 European Championship.

Bouhoudane, who developed through the youth academy of PSV Eindhoven, progressed through all the club’s youth levels before making his professional debut for Jong PSV in the Eerste Divisie at the age of 16. He was called up to the Netherlands U18 team in August 2024. His teammate Khaderi is the captain of PSV’s U19 team.

Goalkeeper El Hani, currently at Jong Ajax, has yet to make his professional debut but has appeared several times on the bench since joining from FC Utrecht’s academy in 2018.

Meanwhile, Ayoub Ouarghi, captain of Feyenoord’s U21 team, is considered one of the most promising prospects of the group. He previously represented Morocco at youth level.