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Rabat – Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi added another achievement to his record by becoming the second-youngest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final, according to Opta.
18 – Aged 18 years and 280 days, 🇲🇦 Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi is the second-youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final.
The youngest is Pelé in 1958 for 🇧🇷 Brazil vs 🏴 Wales (17 years, 239 days).
Footsteps. pic.twitter.com/VKI7vixsZJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2026
The Moroccan midfielder, aged 18 years and 280 days, reached the historic mark when he started for the Atlas Lions in their 2-0 defeat to France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Only Brazilian icon Pelé was younger at the same stage of the tournament. The three-time World Cup winner was 17 years and 239 days old when he featured in Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Wales at the 1958 World Cup, a tournament that launched his legendary international career.
Bouaddi’s achievement places him among an exclusive group of young talents trusted to play on football’s biggest stage in the latter rounds of the competition.
The Lille player has been one of Morocco’s standout young performers throughout the tournament, earning the confidence of head coach Mohamed Ouahbi and establishing himself as a regular starter despite his age.
His latest record is another indication of Morocco’s growing strength in youth development, with Bouaddi emerging as one of the brightest prospects in world football.
Although the Atlas Lions’ World Cup journey ended in the quarter-finals against France, Bouaddi leaves the tournament having etched his name into FIFA World Cup history alongside one of the sport’s greatest-ever players.
