Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte slammed for switching allegiance to Spain to play in Euro 2021

 

Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte’s decision to switch international allegiance from France to Spain in order to have a shot at playing at Euro 2021 hasn’t gone down well with some French Legends.

The 26-year-old has been labeled ‘opportunistic’ for this move and has suffered heavy backlash from almost everyone and everywhere.

But Laporte never got a chance to represent France at the international level even after proving that he is one of the best defenders in the world at present with his performances for Manchester City.

He had secured a rare chance to represent the current World Champions in August 2019 but an injury forced him to the sidelines once again. Since then, Didier Deschamps has overlooked him time and again. Even when he got called up to the squad in the past, he didn’t get an opportunity to start even once.

Now that has forced him to use his Spanish citizenship card to make that wish of playing international football come true. Laporte was born in the French Basque region but his family was from the Basque region of Spain. He was even allowed to play for Athletic Bilbao before joining Manchester City. But he is using that card now to play international football.

It has been learnt that Spain boss Luis Enrique asked Laporte to secure Spanish Citizenship so that he could boost Spain’s defence for the Championships next month. The Mail has also reported that the Spanish Government have confirmed Laporte’s citizenship while releasing an official document.

However, Former France legends Jerome Rothen and Emmanuel Petit have come out openly to slam Laporte on this decision.

“When you sign up and feel French, you go with France,” Rothen told RMC.

“If you feel Spanish, you go with Spain. But don’t be opportunistic,” he added.

“So you can choose the country you want? Do you want to? He had claimed his love for the French team and suddenly went to Spain,” Petit said.