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He is the latest Dutch-Moroccan talent to join the Atlas Lions project. In 2025, after years of seeing his name linked with the Oranje, Anass Salah-Eddine finally chose to represent Morocco. Today, the left-back plays for both the national team and Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.
Before reaching the Atlas Lions' den and becoming a key figure at PSV, Salah-Eddine's journey was far from straightforward. His rise was marked by setbacks, injuries, and crucial career decisions.
Born in Amsterdam on January 18, 2002, to a Moroccan family originally from Tinghir, Salah-Eddine grew up immersed in football. He took his first steps with AFC Amsterdam before joining the youth ranks of AZ Alkmaar, one of the Netherlands' most respected academies.
His talent quickly caught the attention of Ajax, which recruited him in 2018 and placed him on a path followed by many of Dutch football's biggest stars.
Injuries, Loans and a Road Through Twente
As a teenager, Salah-Eddine was regarded as one of the country's most promising young full-backs. However, injuries slowed his development at a crucial stage and prevented him from making an immediate breakthrough. Despite those setbacks, he continued progressing through Ajax's youth system and Jong Ajax, gaining valuable experience in the Dutch second division.
His perseverance paid off on May 15, 2022, when he made his first-team debut under Erik ten Hag. Yet his path at Ajax took a different turn after a much-needed loan move to FC Twente for the 2022-23 season. There, regular playing time allowed him to impress and return to Ajax with greater maturity and confidence.
The reunion, however, proved short-lived. In February 2024, Twente moved to sign him permanently on a deal running until 2027. He quickly established himself as a regular starter in the Eredivisie.
His performances soon attracted attention beyond the Netherlands. In February 2025, Italian giants AS Roma secured his signature for a reported fee of around €8.5 million.
The move to Serie A represented the biggest challenge of his career. However, limited playing time in Rome led him to seek opportunities elsewhere. Salah-Eddine returned to the Eredivisie on loan with reigning champions PSV Eindhoven, with an option to make the move permanent.
At PSV, he quickly rediscovered his best form. Comfortable both as a traditional left-back and a more attacking wing-back, he became known for his ability to contribute offensively while remaining reliable defensively.
From Jong Oranje to the Atlas Lions
Internationally, Salah-Eddine took his time before settling on a national team. He represented the Netherlands at every youth level, from the U15s to the U21s. He was part of the Dutch side that won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 2019 and later became a regular with the U21 team, earning 13 caps and helping Jong Oranje reach the semifinals of the European Under-21 Championship.
Despite his long association with Dutch football, he never ruled out representing Morocco. That decision finally came in 2025. On October 21, FIFA approved his request to switch sporting nationality from the Netherlands to Morocco. A few weeks later, he received his first senior call-up from Walid Regragui for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
«I saw I was on the list. My family called me. My agent called me. Everybody called me. I was really happy», he recalled.
«It feels immediately like home», he said upon joining the squad. Salah-Eddine even embraced the traditional initiation ritual for newcomers, singing in front of teammates and staff in a moment widely shared among supporters.
Today, at just 24 years old, Salah-Eddine has landed in the United States as one of the 26 Atlas Lions selected for the 2026 World Cup, the biggest stage of his career so far.
