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Ayyoub Bouaddi reportedly chooses Morocco over France for international football
via Le Matin2 min read
Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old midfielder for Lille, is reportedly set to join Morocco's national team, the Atlas Lions, ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Despite interest from the French Federation, sources indicate Bouaddi has decided in favor of Morocco. He is considered one of Europe's most promising young talents in his position. Bouaddi has previously represented France at youth levels up to the U21 team, where he served as captain, earning 10 caps and scoring 1 goal. He has played 40 matches across all competitions this season. Journalist Nasredine Nasri of Canal+ suggests Bouaddi will publicly announce his decision on Sunday, following Lille's Ligue 1 match against AS Monaco. This move would be a significant boost for Morocco, adding a player known for his technical quality, game vision, and ability to perform under pressure. Bouaddi's potential valuation of over 50 million euros at 18 years old would make him the first Moroccan player to reach this milestone at such a young age. This situation highlights the Moroccan Football Federation's success, under Fouzi Lekja芒's leadership, in attracting young dual-national talents who have been developed in top European academies, further enhancing Morocco's sporting project on the international stage.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Moroccan referee Jalal Jiyed, assisted by compatriots Zakaria Brinsi and Mustapha Akerkad, has been appointed by FIFA to officiate the World Cup 2026 group stage match between Portugal and Uzbekistan. South African Tom Abongile will serve as the fourth official, assisted by Zakhele Siwela. This marks the second assignment for the Moroccan trio, who previously officiated the Germany vs. Cura莽ao match. Portugal drew their first match against the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-1, while Uzbekistan lost 3-1 to Colombia. The upcoming match is crucial for both Portugal and Uzbekistan's qualification hopes. Notably, an Uzbek referee, Ilgiz Tantashov, recently officiated a match involving Morocco's Atlas Lions against Scotland.
Following Morocco's 1-0 victory over Scotland, coach Mohamed Ouahbi assessed the team's performance in the 2026 World Cup, where they have accumulated four points from two matches against Brazil and Scotland. Ouahbi highlighted the team's collective control and improved offensive intentions compared to their draw against Brazil. He noted that while Scotland played more directly with long balls, Morocco effectively countered their strategy. Despite their strong position, Ouahbi emphasized that qualification is not yet secured and the team's objective is to defeat Haiti in the final group match to ensure qualification and potentially secure first place. He also stated that he would field the best possible team against Haiti, considering player freshness, opponent profile, and match context, rather than systematically rotating the squad. Ouahbi also publicly supported captain Achraf Hakimi, who is facing legal proceedings, stating that Hakimi was focused, motivated the team, and played an excellent match. Ouahbi praised the team's mental fortitude and expressed confidence in their ability to advance to the round of sixteen as group leaders.
Bank Al-Maghrib has issued a warning to all banks regarding a global surge in cybercrime campaigns exploiting public interest in the 2026 World Cup. The central bank notes that these threats include the distribution of malware via fake applications or match streaming platforms, as well as phishing campaigns designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials and banking details. Bank Al-Maghrib urges banks to enhance customer awareness efforts and emphasize key vigilance rules. These include exercising caution before installing match-streaming applications, avoiding links received via email, SMS, or social media that offer broadcasts or promotional deals, verifying website authenticity before entering personal or banking data, and immediately reporting any suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions to the bank. The central bank also instructs banking institutions to relay these vigilance messages to their customers through appropriate communication channels.