Anissa Lahmari (26) was voted best player in the last pool match played by the Atlas Lionesses against Colombia (1-0) , of which she is the only scorer. But before qualifying Morocco for the round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup thanks to her historic goal, the Guingamp player had first opted a few months ago for… the Algerian team! His change of sporting nationality obviously did not fail to cause controversy in view of the sporting rivalry between the two countries.
February 2023. Midfielder Anissa Lahmari is called up for the first time by Algerian coach Farid Benstiti for a rally at the National Technical Center in Sidi Moussa. Two months later, she was established against Tanzania (4-0) and performed well. However, shortly after her promising debut with the Algerian team, the player makes a choice that will surprise everyone by finally opting for the national team of… Morocco. Born in France to an Algerian father and a Moroccan mother, Lahmari could indeed represent one of the two countries on the international scene. In any case, this decision did not fail to make waves and trigger many debates, fueled by speculation on the reasons which motivated its change.
The World Cup in question?
According to many media, Anissa made this decision after realizing that Algeria would not participate in the World Cup. This would then have prompted him to join the Atlas Lionesses, a nation that was going to participate in the World Cup, which is therefore currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand. An unlikely hypothesis since it has been acquired for more than a year that Algeria will not see the Women’s World Cup. On the other hand, the “blunder” committed by the Algerian Football Federation(FAF) with the non-registration of the women’s team in the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games could have cooled Lahmari. This unexpected decision of the FAF had indeed been able to question the vision and development projects of women’s football in the country. Faced with this situation, Lahmari may have felt the need to look for new opportunities elsewhere, which would have ultimately led him to choose to represent the Morocco national team.
A successful choice?
French coach Reynald Pedros quickly called on the former French international Espoirs to join the list of 28 players shortlisted for the preparation camp in Austria for the 2023 World Cup . Her impressive performances during the preparation matches, notably against Italy (0-0), convinced the technical staff to retain her among the 23 players selected for the prestigious tournament. On Thursday, the native of Saint-Cloud in the Paris region scored her first international pawn in a romantic context. Her decisive goal, the only one of the match, not only qualified Morocco for the round of 16, but also confirmed that they had undoubtedly made the right choice by opting for the Lionesses of the Atlas.
The former Paris-Saint-Germain player therefore continues to make her way on the international scene with determination and talent. Its history, marked by twists and turns and courageous choices, highlights the complexity and issues surrounding the careers of international binational players. Be that as it may, her presence on the pitch leaves no one indifferent, and Morocco hopes to see her shine again against the French team next Tuesday for the round of 16… A necessarily special meeting for Lahmari.
