Rabat—Real Madrid’s teenage talent Thiago Pitarch has addressed growing speculation about his international future, confirming that he has not yet decided whether he will represent Spain or Morocco at the senior level.
The 18-year-old midfielder spoke about the situation during an interview with beIN SPORTS on March 12 where he clarified that his international allegiance remains undecided despite increasing attention from both federations.
“I haven’t made my final decision yet. Things are great with Spain but I’ll make a decision soon.”
Born in Fuenlabrada, Spain, Pitarch holds dual nationality and is also eligible to represent Morocco through his family roots, as his grandfather was born in Al Hoceima. The talented player has already represented Spain at youth level with the U19 and U20 teams and played in the 2025 U20 World Cup, where Spain reached the quarterfinals.
Pitarch also pointed out how much impact his Real Madrid teammate Brahim Díaz has had. Since choosing to play for Morocco internationally, Díaz has become a mentor. For the young midfielder, Díaz is an important source of support during his early first-team development.
“Brahim talked to me a lot about this topic. He feels great happiness playing for the Moroccan national team and he gives me a lot of support in the dressing room.”
🟣🎤تصريح خاص | قال تياغو بيتارتش لاعب ريال مدريد الصاعد إنه لم يحسم بعد قرار اللعب لمنتخب المغرب أو إسبانيا، مؤكدا أن زميله إبراهيم دياث نجم أسود الأطلس يقدم له الكثير من الدعم في غرفة ملابس النادي الملكي pic.twitter.com/b8Rix29V50
— beIN SPORTS الإخبارية (@beINSPORTSNews) March 12, 2026
The teenager’s rapid rise at Real Madrid has only intensified the interest surrounding his international future. Under the guidance of Álvaro Arbeloa, Pitarch has experienced a breakthrough in early 2026. He made his UEFA Champions League debut against Benfica before setting a new milestone on March 11, when he became the youngest Spanish player to start a Champions League knockout match for Real Madrid at just 18 and 220 days in the round of 16 clash against Manchester City.
With his profile growing rapidly, both Spain and Morocco are closely monitoring the situation. The Spanish Football Federation is reportedly considering including him in the upcoming Spain U21 squad announcement on March 20, while Morocco continues to hope the young midfielder could follow a similar international path to Brahim Díaz by committing to the Atlas Lions.
Read also: Spain Steps Up Efforts to Secure Morocco-Eligible Thiago Pitarch