Rabat – Rising star Ayyoub Bouaddi stole the headlines on Saturday with a masterful World Cup debut against Brazil at MetLife Stadium, delivering a composed midfield performance that Morocco boss Mohamed Ouahbi said came as no surprise to him.
The game ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw as Morocco opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against five-time champions Brazil, with Ismael Saibari firing the Atlas Lions ahead in the 21st minute before Vinícius Júnior equalized for the Seleção just eleven minutes later.
The clash marked Bouaddi’s senior international debut, arriving just months after he represented France at the Under-21 level in March following years in the French youth system.
According to post-match data from Sofascore, the 18-year-old player led Morocco with 87 touches, 60 accurate passes, and three successful dribbles, highlighting a stellar World Cup debut that helped the Atlas Lions compete toe-to-toe with one of football’s most decorated nations.
The Lille midfielder dominated the entire contest, first getting the upper hand against Casemiro in the opening half, and then commanding the midfield battle against Fabinho after halftime.
“It was not a risk to play him just because he is 18,” Ouahbi told journalists after the match.
“I only look at players’ performance, not the age of the player. He could be 35, and if he plays well, he’ll play, or if he’s 17.” He added.
Dismissing the idea that he had made a bold selection choice, the Morocco coach made it clear that starting Bouaddi was a calculated decision based on complete confidence in the youngster’s abilities.
“I’m not the guy to be afraid of playing youngsters. We were sure and certain that he’d have a big match, and so it wasn’t a risk at all. It wasn’t the kind of match for taking risks against Brazil.”
Bouaddi’s performance also caught the attention of football fans worldwide. After the game, Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano asked his followers on X to name their Man of the Match. Many responses singled out Bouaddi, applauding his confidence, passing range, and ability to dictate against Brazil.
“Ayyoub Bouaddi’s composure tonight was exceptional. An underrated performance and our MOTM,” a user said. Another described him as “super exceptional,” with great “composure and passion.”
The Atlas Lions will look to build on this momentum when their Group C campaign continues against Scotland in Foxborough on June 19, ahead of a final group-stage clash with Haiti in Atlanta five days later.
