World Rarity: They represent one country, but most were born elsewhere

The Qatar 2022 World Cup is atypical from whichever angle you look at it. From the host country to the month of the year in which it will take place.

Just as there are first-order curiosities, there are second-rate ones that never cease to amaze. For example, this: There is only one team out of 32 that will participate in the World Cup where more than half of its players were not born in the country they represent..

The selection is nothing more and nothing less than that of Morocco. The football team led by Achraf Hakimi has 14 “foreigners” among its 26 members. That is to say, 53% of players were not born on Moroccan soil.

The three figures of the selected team, in fact, were born in another country: hakimiParis Saint-Germain team, was born in Spain; Hakim Ziech, In the Netherlands; and Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in Canada.

In Russia 2018, the percentage of “foreigners” in this team was much higher: 17 of the 23 Morocco squad were “foreigners”. It is worth mentioning that the Qatar World Cup allows rosters of up to 26 players.

At the World Cup Morocco is in group F together with Belgium, Croatia and Canada.

Two other African countries complete the top 3 led by Morocco: Tunisia and Senegaleach team with 12 players listed born outside both countries.

“Foreigners” in the world

What happens to the Moroccan national team is not so strange after all. Of the 32 countries, 28 have at least one player born in a territory other than the one they represent.

137 out of 832 players will represent countries where they were not born. A much higher mark than the 82 of the last World Cup. France is the country that “contributes” the most to other teams, with 37 players.

Argentina does not have any players born outside the country, but does have three representing other teams. These are Fernando Muslerthe goalkeeper of Uruguay; Hernan Galindez, that of Ecuador; Y Rogelio Funes Morithe striker who came out of River who will play for Mexico.

The only four teams that have a squad made up 100% of players born in the country they defend are the aforementioned Argentina, Brazilthe one of South Korea and that of one of the members of Leo Messi’s team group: Saudi Arabia.