It’s a decision which, today, looks very much like a mistake… On the sidelines of the 2026 World Cup, his last competition at the head of the France team, Didier Deschamps chose not to call Ayyoub Bouaddi. The talented 19-year-old midfielder then chose to represent Morocco, who selected him for the World Cup.
“He has this freedom to be able to choose (between France and Morocco). I didn’t interact with him, that’s not the way I operate. We follow his performances. There is very strong competition (in the Blues). It will be his choice. I am not going to anticipate what I will decide in May”declared “DD” about the one who now shines for Manchester City and the Atlas Lions.
Although the former Lille player was described as “unique talent” by the National Technical Director Hubert Fournier, Didier Deschamps judged that it was not “not quite ready yet” for the immediate demands and pressure of a World Cup finals. The French staff at the time preferred to bet on sure values rather than integrating a young person, despite his immense potential and his 10 selections with the French Espoirs.
“We should have actually called Bouaddi before to try to protect ourselves from that”
On his YouTube channel, Pierre Ménès returned to this
“failed” of the former French coach. “I think that the fact that Deschamps announced to Bouaddi that he would not play in the World Cup, while obviously Morocco was holding out its arms to him, obviously had all its weight. So, Bouaddi is happy to say that he made the choice of the heart, but hey, the choice of the heart can also be a sporting choice. estimated the former star consultant of Canal+.
“We should have actually called Bouaddi before to try to protect ourselves from that, he added. It’s a failure, but hey, when your name is Bouaddi and you play for Morocco, there’s nothing that shocks me either. » It must be said that the native of Senlis has a profile which would certainly have pleased Zinedine Zidane and which would have fitted perfectly into the style of play advocated by the new coach. Too bad for the Blues.
