Munir El Haddadi

Early career

After starting at Galapagar and DAV Santa Ana, Munir scored 32 goals in 29 matches playing for CF Rayo Majadahonda's Cadete A team, on loan from Atlético Madrid, after impressing during a trial in 2010. However, both Atlético and Real Madrid turned down the opportunity to bring him into their ranks. As a result, he attracted interest from a number of sides such as Manchester City, but signed for Barcelona's youth academy the following summer.

Barcelona

Munir made his UEFA Youth League debut with the Juvenil side against Ajax U19, where he scored two goals. He scored braces against Milan U19 and Copenhagen U19, finishing the tournament scoring 11 goals in 10 matches. He scored a brace in the final against Benfica U19. On 3 March 2014, he extended his Barça contract until June 2017. After being an unused substitute against Tenerife and Deportivo de La Coruña, Munir made his professional debut for Barcelona B on 2 March 2014 in a 1–2 away win against Mallorca in the second division, coming as a 72nd-minute substitute for Sandro. He scored his first goal as a senior player in a 2–1 home win against Girona on 19 April.

On 24 August 2014, Munir made his official debut for the first team in La Liga, against Elche at Camp Nou. He started the match and scored the second goal of an eventual 3–0 win before being substituted after 67 minutes for Pedro. Eight days short of his 19th birthday, he became Barcelona's third-youngest goalscorer after Bojan and…

Spain

Munir was born and raised in Spain, the son of a Moroccan father, and was eligible to represent either nation internationally. It was rumoured Qatar had offered Munir a financial deal to take that country's nationality and represent the nation, which was set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On 29 August 2014, Munir was called up for the first time as one of 21 players for Albert Celades' Spain under-21 team to face Hungary and Austria in September. However, after an injury to Diego Costa, Vicente del Bosque called Munir up to the senior squad for the first time ahead of a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Macedonia on 8 September. He made his debut in that match, replacing Koke for the final 13 minutes of a 5–1 victory at the Estadi Ciutat de València. He said after the match he never considered playing for Morocco.

Request to change teams

In June 2017, it was reported Munir and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) had contacted FIFA to change his allegiance to Morocco. However, a FIFA spokesman denied any contact and said the player was ineligible for a switch. On Munir and the FRMF's request, the Court of Arbitration for Sport began debating FIFA's rules on switching allegiances in April 2018. His appeal to represent Morocco was denied on 14 May. On 1 October 2020, following a rule change by FIFA that allowed a player to change their national team provided they had made three or fewer appearances in qualifiers before the age of 21, Munir…

As a child, Munir idolised Messi and Moroccan international Adel Taarabt. A report from FourFourTwo magazine noted his composure on the ball, tricks, speed and highlighted his finishing ability and set-pieces; his ability with his weaker right foot was criticised. After his goalscoring debut, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique praised Munir as a player whose effort in training matches that on the pitch, but warned against getting carried away with his performance.

Munir was born in El Escorial, Madrid, and grew up in nearby Galapagar on a street likened to a "Little Morocco" by El Mundo. His Moroccan father, Mohamed El Haddadi Arbrqui, moved to Spain in a fishing boat at age 18 and worked as a chef. His mother, Saida Mohamed Haddou, hails from the Spanish autonomous city of Melilla on the north coast of Africa; she is a former kitchen hand who later looked after Munir's three siblings. Up to the age of 14, Munir was a fan of Real Madrid. Munir's younger brother Suleiman is also a footballer and a forward. Both trained together at Leganés in 2024, despite his brother being mainly a member of the youth sides.