Morocco fields historic starting XI of foreign-born players in 2026 World Cup match against Brazil
via SeneNews1 min read
Morocco made history during their 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. At one point in the second half, following several substitutions, the Atlas Lions became the first national team in World Cup history to field an entire lineup of 11 players born outside of Morocco. This unique configuration included players such as Yassine Bounou born in Canada, Noussair Mazraoui born in the Netherlands, Issa Diop born in France, Chadi Riad born in Spain, Achraf Hakimi born in Spain, Neil El Aynaoui born in France, Ayyoub Bouaddi born in France, Chemsdine Talbi born in Belgium, Bilal El Khannouss born in Belgium, Samir El Mourabet born in France, and Ismaël Saibari born in Spain. This record highlights the diverse origins within the Moroccan squad, comprising players trained or born in various countries who chose to represent Morocco internationally. The draw against Brazil also marked a positive start for Morocco in their challenging Group C campaign.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Former Senegalese international El Hadji Diouf shared a surprising anecdote about Zinédine Zidane and Wilfried Mbappé, father of Kylian Mbappé, related to the 2002 World Cup. Diouf recounted that after the draw for the competition, Wilfried Mbappé contacted him, expressing concern for his son. Mbappé reportedly told Diouf, "You have to be careful with my son. You shouldn't do what you did with Zidane." Diouf humorously replied, "I told him: we're going to do what we did with Zidane. Your son won't play." Diouf emphasized the lighthearted nature of the exchange and his respect for football's great figures, stating that he always wants to see the best teams field their best players in major competitions. He added that while he was happy to beat France without Zidane, a match with Zidane would have been even more significant. Zinédine Zidane was injured before the 2002 match against Senegal and did not play.
Must ReadA group of international scientists has alerted FIFA to potential heat risks for players during the 2026 World Cup. In an open letter, health, climate, and sports performance specialists stated that current measures by football's governing body are insufficient for the expected weather conditions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Experts argue that existing protocols do not adequately consider current scientific knowledge on heat stress, calling for longer cooling breaks and clearer criteria for postponing or rescheduling matches played in extreme conditions. Researchers highlight that heat could be a major challenge, with their assessments indicating that 14 of the 16 host stadiums could face temperatures exceeding safe thresholds for high-level sports. In some host cities in the southern United States and northern Mexico, temperatures can regularly exceed 30 °C and occasionally reach 40 °C during heatwaves. Combined with humidity, solar radiation, and other climatic factors, these conditions are likely to significantly increase the risk of heat stress for players. FIFA has responded, assuring that it takes the matter seriously and is committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff, noting that climatic risks are an integral part of tournament planning.
Iran has not yet made a final decision regarding the proposed agreement with the United States to end the war in the Middle East, according to the Fars news agency. The agency, which is close to conservative circles, reported on Sunday that the Islamic Republic has not yet decided on the protocol under discussion. A "well-informed source close to the Iranian negotiating team" was cited by Fars. The possibility of such a settlement faces opposition from some ultraconservatives, who are against concessions, particularly concerning the control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has de facto blocked since the start of the war. Tensions persist, fueled by the ultraconservatives' opposition to potential concessions.