Passed over by Egypt, Wahib El Antary ultimately chooses Morocco
Having already played for the Egyptian national team, Wahib El Antary will now represent Morocco at under-17 level. The young Angers player, born to an Egyptian father and a Moroccan mother, has been called up by Ahmed Kantari.
Wahib El Antary had nevertheless been firmly involved in the Egyptian national-team setup. In July 2025, the attacking midfielder took part in a training camp with Egypt’s under-17 team and impressed Ahmed El-Kass, who was then in charge of the age group.
The player was, however, dropped from Egypt’s plans for the subsequent fixtures. In particular, he was not selected for the North African qualifiers or the U17 Africa Cup of Nations. This lack of follow-up may have influenced his decision, reports Al Jazeera.
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As the next training camps approached, Egyptian officials attempted to re-establish contact with him. The young player reportedly did not respond to their approaches. Staff members then discovered his name on the list unveiled by Ahmed Kantari, Morocco U17’s coach.
The Egyptian federation caught off guard
El Antary is set to join the Lion Cubs of the Atlas for an international friendly tournament being held from 24 to 29 September in Tarragone, Spain. The competition will serve as preparation for the U17 World Cup scheduled to take place in Qatar in November 2026.
His decision has drawn criticism in Egypt, where several observers accuse the federation of failing to follow the player closely enough after his first training camp. Journalist Ahmed Shobeir notably called on Egyptian officials to monitor dual-national youngsters playing abroad more closely.
“We must always have scouts and ensure better monitoring of these players,” he explained. The former goalkeeper believes that the El Antri case highlights Egypt’s shortcomings in identifying and supporting talented players who hold multiple nationalities.
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Born on 6 March 2009 in Angers, Wahib El Antary was eligible to represent three national teams: France, his country of birth, Egypt through his father, and Morocco through his mother. He is currently continuing his development at Angers SCO, where he plays in midfield.
His call-up with Morocco’s U17 team formalizes his current choice in favor of Morocco, without necessarily definitively determining his international future. FIFA rules still allow, under certain conditions, a change of national team after appearances in youth categories.
