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Currently on loan at VfB Stuttgart: Mo Dahoud

Photo: Frank Hoermann / Sven Simon / IMAGO

Mahmoud Dahoud from Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart has left the Syrian national team before his possible international debut. As the Syrian Football Association announced on Instagram on Tuesday, the 28-year-old left his quarters in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning. Dahoud had only announced his change of association two weeks ago and he could have continued to play for Germany.

The association was unable to meet the demands made by Dahoud's advisor, it said. The demands also affected the national team.

Dahoud explained in an Instagram story that he did not want to comment on the association statement or the allegations on match day "out of the greatest respect" for his country. As an experienced player, he wants to be able to give his best for the country. Every game should have the best conditions, especially on the field. And: “If you can’t be a solution, at least you don’t have to be a problem,” he wrote.

On Tuesday evening, Syria played the World Cup qualifier against Myanmar in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The game ended 0-0, meaning Syria remains in second place in Group B. The qualification will be played in five rounds, and the second phase is currently taking place.

Dahoud played for Germany in his youth

In mid-March, Dahoud spoke of the Syrian national team as a “project close to his heart.” »Syria is my family's country of origin and ultimately also my birth country. And I learned early on from my family how privileged we are to live in Germany and how important it is at the same time to bring joy to the people in Syria," he told the pay TV channel Sky.

Dahoud, who is currently on loan to Stuttgart from English first division club Brighton & Hove Albion, also expressed his gratitude to the German Football Association (DFB) at the time. "I grew up in Germany, spent my whole life here and was proud to play in the youth national teams and the senior national team," said the 28-year-old: "Germany is my home."

Dahoud, who was born in Syria and grew up in Germany, played for the DFB team in the test games in autumn 2020 against Turkey (3:3) and the Czech Republic (1:0). He also wore the German jersey in the junior division from U18 to U21.

ast/dpa/sid