CAF Sends Message to Ayyoub Bouaddi As Arsenal Show Interest in Moroccan Youngster
- CAF has sent a message to Moroccan youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi after his performance against Brazil
- Bouaddi was a spectacle during the Atlas Lions’ 1-1 draw against Brazil in the World Cup group match
- Multiple clubs are interested in signing the French-born youngster, including Premier League champions
CAF has sent a message to Moroccan youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi after his impressive performance in his country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
Brazil and Morocco settled for a 1-1 draw in their highly anticipated World Cup Group C opener at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 13.
Source: Getty Images
Ismail Saibari opened the scoring with a chip over Alisson Becker, before Vinicius Jr equalised with a brilliant goal on his 50th international appearance.
CAF sends message to Bouaddi
CAF shared a post on its X page acknowledging Bouaddi’s impressive performance during the draw against Brazil, particularly at 18 years.
The African football governing body, in a statement on its official website, describes the FC Lille star as the influential leader of Morocco’s midfield.
Fans on social media also applauded the teenager’s fearlessness, with which he took on Brazil’s midfield, which included Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta and later Fabinho.
Ouahbi speaks about Bouaddi’s performance
Morocco national team head coach Mohamed Ouahbi justified his selection of an 18-year-old player to start against Brazil in a World Cup game in his first international game.
“It was not a risk to play him just because he's 18. 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 17,” he said via ESPN.
“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.”
Despite the public attention, Ouahbi claimed that he is not “impressed” with Bouaddi’s performance, as he knows what he is capable of.
“He didn't impress me [tonight] because we already know what a player he is,” Ouahbi added.
Bouaddi responds to rumours
The youngster has been linked with a move away from Lille before the World Cup, with Premier League champions Arsenal among the interested clubs, and he responded after his debut.
Source: Getty Images
“At the moment, I am only focused on the World Cup, and I can't answer that right now,” he told The Athletic.
“Of course, I’m really happy to know that some clubs are interested in me, but for now I’m only focused on the WC, and we will try to give everything to do our best.”
Mysterious cat predicted Brazil vs Morocco
Legit.ng previously reported that Nimbus Pronos correctly predicted the result of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C match between Brazil and Morocco.
The mysterious cat predicted a draw, and the two sides played it out. Scotland defeated minions Haiti to top the group at the end of the first day.
Source: Legit.ng
