Morocco coach Walid Regragui admits they’ve been working on Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz for almost two years.

Diaz committed to Morocco ahead of Spain last week.

Regragui said: “We had contact and an agreement with Brahim since he was already in Milan. We’ve been talking to him for a year and a half.

“But to ensure his arrival in Morocco he had to return to Real Madrid. Moroccans should be proud of Brahim and I can only tell him ‘bravo’.

“For those who call it opportunistic, I have to say that he was summoned by Spain. But he gave me his word and in the end he came with us.”