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Rabat – Morocco international Ismael Saibari has revealed the difficult journey that led him to the top of world football. The midfielder said he struggled to walk as a child before achieving his dream of playing for Morocco at the FIFA World Cup.
In an interview with FIFA, Saibari said football had always been his biggest dream. He thanked God and his mother for helping him overcome the challenges he faced in his early years.
“When I was two or three years old, I had difficulty walking because my feet were not straight,” Saibari said. “I had to wear a medical brace all day, even while sleeping.”
He explained that his mother carried him in her arms so he could sleep, even though it meant she got very little rest herself.
“Thanks to God first, and then thanks to my mother, I can now walk, run, and kick a football,” he said.
Saibari also reflected on his first FIFA World Cup with Morocco. He admitted that qualifying from the group stage was not easy but praised the team’s collective effort.
“It was my first World Cup, and getting out of the group was difficult, but we achieved it together as a team,” he said.
The Bayern Munich midfielder also highlighted his personal achievement at the tournament. He became the first African player to score in all three group-stage matches but said the team’s qualification was the most important success.
Saibari credited his parents for teaching him never to give up. He said their support and his belief in his abilities helped him reach the highest level.
He ended by expressing his pride in wearing the Morocco shirt.
“It is a great honor to represent Morocco. It was my childhood dream to play for my country on the biggest stage in world football,” he said.
