Dual passports threaten Dutch team: Ayoub Oufkir chooses Morocco

The future of the Oranje is being put under pressure as several young Dutch talents with a double passport have already committed to another country, such as AZ striker Ayoub Oufkir, according to DPG Media, who definitively chose Morocco, and players like Givairo Read and Ernest Poku who have not yet been called up for the Oranje.

Well‑known choices and potential talents

The article was written by Pim Huberts Sport. AZ striker Ayoub Oufkir (20) has definitively chosen Morocco. The KNVB would have liked to keep the Rotterdam native with Moroccan roots for the Oranje, but failed. Oufkir is part of a growing group of Dutch footballers who play internationals for another country.

As long as players with a double passport have not made their official debut for the big the Oranje, the risk remains that they will choose another country. Even if they have gone through all Dutch youth national teams, the KNVB can still lose them definitively.

Feyenoord defender Givairo Read tops the market‑value list of Dutch players under 23 with a double nationality. Read has not yet been called up for the Oranje and is also eligible for Suriname. In 2025 Read stated that the Oranje is his priority. The ongoing passport issue concerning his parents' country does not help either.

Ernest Poku has been a regular for Jong the Oranje in recent years. Poku left AZ for Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 for €10 million.

This season he plays in the Europa League with Turkish side Beşiktaş. Poku can also represent two other countries besides the Oranje: Germany (by birth) and Ghana (through his parents). He said in an earlier interview: “It’s a waiting game to see who calls. From Ghana I receive messages from as many as 15 different people. I no longer know what or who to believe. So I said they should just inform my agent when the time comes”.

Future challenges for the Oranje

Jayden Addai has a market value of €20 million and is the next Dutch player of Ghanaian descent that the KNVB needs to keep an eye on. Addai was born in the Netherlands, has Ghanaian parents, holds both passports and is still undecided about his choice. He has already played 15 Serie A matches for Como, after moving from AZ in 2025.

Lamare Bogarde is high on Suriname’s wish list. Bogarde is a midfielder for Aston Villa and a nephew of former the Oranje player Winston Bogarde. His brother Melayro debuted for Suriname earlier this year.

Antoni Milambo, former Feyenoord player, was persuaded by Brentford influencer Yoane Wissa to move to London. Milambo and Wissa have Congolese roots, which means Milambo is also eligible for DR Congo. DR Congo was active at the World Cup last summer. The Congolese football federation has already approached Milambo, but he still dreams of the Oranje.

Ludovit Reis, former FC Barcelona talent, chose at age 26 to pursue an international career with Slovakia. The top ten Dutch players with double nationality includes, among others, Elijah Dijkstra (20) – Curaçao, Aaron Bouwman (20) – England and Jamaica, Ro‑Zangelo Daal (22) – Curaçao, Sami Ouaissa (22) – Morocco and Jay Enem (23) – Nigeria.

Başar Önal, Lille player, born in Doetinchem, could make an international switch from Turkey to the Netherlands. PSV talent Amir Bouhamdi chose Morocco, but has not yet debuted.

The KNVB will have to fight more often in the future for talents with a double nationality. In the Oranje Under‑17, 17 of the 24 selected players hold a double passport and can later choose another country. Examples of U‑17 talents with double nationality are Lushendry Martes (18) – Curaçao, Shaqueel van Persie (19) – Morocco/England, Jerayno Schaken (17) – Suriname, Mohamed Abdalla (17) – Sudan, Jadiel Pereira da Gama (16) – Angola and Emre Ünüvar (18) – Turkey.