Taarabt Delighted With Morocco Debut
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Tottenham midfielder Adel Taarabt was delighted to make his Morocco debut last week.
The French citizen opted to play for the Atlas Lions after several previous attempts had failed to convince him.
But he chose the country of his parents last week over France.
"Morocco is the country of my birth, and although I was only nine months old when I moved to France, a lot of my family still live there," Taarabt said.
"I could have waited to play for France but I felt the time was right when I was given this opportunity, and it was a very proud moment for me with all my family watching.
"Most of the squad play their football in Europe so I knew many of them and it was very comfortable.
"Now I have the chance to play in a World Cup, the first one in Africa, although we have a difficult qualifying group."
Taarabt knows that standing in Morocco's way to a trip to South Africa in 2010 is a fellow Spurs teammate and another of last week's international debutants.
"We are up against Cameroon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, who is my best friend at the club. Only one of us can go to the World Cup, but hopefully it will be me!"
