Brahim Díaz’s refuge is a humble Málaga neighbourhood of 3,000 | OneFootball

Morocco face France on Thursday at 22.00 in the quarter-finals. Málaga-born Brahim Díaz is key for the Moroccan side, yet his refuge remains Dos Hermanas, a modest Málaga neighbourhood of 3,000 inhabitants.

His story begins before he was born. His father, Sufiel Abdelkader Mohand, left Melilla, where he had Moroccan roots, for Málaga at a young age and met Patricia Díaz. In a Real Madrid TV feature, he reflected on growing up in a humble area where football was a way of life.

Dos Hermanas rose on former market gardens at the city’s edge, first housing Renfe staff and many fishermen. It later grew to welcome families from across Málaga. There, Díaz launched his own football camp, Campus Mentalidad Brahim.

Visiting the camp, he urged youngsters not to give up, to stay humble, value team-mates and cherish the game. He said he had dreamt of this and wanted them to enjoy every moment and always give their best.

His first team was Mortadelo at four, coached by his uncle, then Tiro Pichón, where its pitch 3 now bears his name. Moves followed to Málaga, then Manchester, then Italy and Milan, before arriving at Real Madrid, where he plays now.

At this World Cup he has become an important presence for Morocco under Mohamed Ouahbi, choosing the team to honour his roots and after finding little backing or interest from Spain’s national side. Whatever the shirt, he returns to his sanctuary in Dos Hermanas.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo