Despite the expansion of the 2026 World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, Ligue 2 representatives will be few in number. There will certainly be Keito Nakamura with Japan, Ben Old with New Zealand, Nathanaël Mbuku with DR Congo, Johny Placide with Haiti if he recovers from meniscus surgery or even Lucas Stassin perhaps with the Belgium team (after his debut with the Red Devils led by Rudi Garcia on April 1).
One of the phenomena of the season also dreams of playing in the 2026 World Cup: Tawfik Bentayeb with Morocco! The season of the Moroccan center forward, 24, is explosive. Revelation of Rodez last year (10 goals), being loaned by Union Touarga, the native of Casablanca remained blocked throughout the off-season by his club and it was ultimately Estac which had the player loaned for 300,000 euros. A superb deal since he is the top scorer in Ligue 2!
The talented striker brought his total to 18 goals during the summit clash in the Chaudron of AS Saint-Etienne, just after coming into play (89th) on Saturday evening. The success of the Aubois at Geoffroy Guichard (0-3) allows them to take a six-point lead at the top and above all to ensure their rise in the elite with seven points more than 3rd before the last two days.
A Ligue 2 player in the Moroccan team?
Tawfik Bentayeb is not unknown in the Shereef Empire. He comes from the Mohammed VI Academy like certain captains of the Atlas Lions. He was also U20 and Moroccan Espoir. Walid Regragui’s successor, Mohamed Ouahbi, knows all the promising young people in Morocco. From there to promoting the top scorer in Ligue 2 alongside Youssef En-Nesyri, Ayoub El Kaabi or Soufiane Rahimi? The reigning African champion (officially since the dismissal of Senegal) will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in his group in the United States.
Stéphane Dumont, the Estac coach, was even questioned about a possible call-up for Tawfik Bentayeb to the 2026 World Cup. “I’m not going to be very objective… He’s a complete player, capable of scoring 17 goals and he will do it in any championship. Today he is a very good striker”he replied to Skwad 10 days ago.
