Jérôme Rothen, former French international and now a sports commentator, has publicly criticized Didier Deschamps and the French Football Federation (FFF) for their handling of the Ayyoub Bouaddi case. Bouaddi, a young midfielder born in 2004, has opted to represent Morocco at the international level instead of France, a decision that Rothen described as a missed opportunity for the French team.
According to Rothen, the FFF and Deschamps failed to act promptly to secure Bouaddi's commitment to France, allowing Morocco to convince him. Bouaddi, who plays for Lille OSC, has been a standout in Ligue 1 and was eligible for both France and Morocco through his heritage. He made his senior debut for Morocco in 2025.
Rothen's comments, made on the show 'Rothen s'enflamme' on RMC, highlighted a pattern of French-born players choosing other national teams due to lack of attention from the French setup. He argued that the FFF needs to improve its scouting and communication to retain dual-nationality talents.
As of June 2026, Bouaddi has earned 12 caps for Morocco and is considered a key player for the Atlas Lions. The FFF has not officially responded to Rothen's criticism, but sources indicate that they are reviewing their approach to dual-nationality players.
