Prodigy of Losc and Bleuets (until last March), Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, made his debut for the Moroccan national team on Tuesday during a friendly match against Madagascar, in the magnificent Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat. The midfielder took part in an unofficial meeting against Burundi at the start of the Atlas Lions rally. He was lined up from the start by his coach Mohamed Ouahbi against the Malagasy team alongside Sofyan Amrabat, 11 days before the match against Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.
Bouaddi, number 6 in the back, produced a convincing performance and could have playing time alongside Neil El Aynaoui in the Moroccan midfield during the North American World Cup. He was replaced at the break by Samir El Mourabet from Strasbourg. Ayyoub Bouaddi will compete with Azzedine Ounahi and Ismael Saibari. It was Saibari who scored twice in the first period (4th and 25th).
Brahim Diaz enters at the end of the match
At the end of the match, Soufiane Rahimi increased the score from the penalty spot (78th) and Ayoub El Kaabi concluded the festival (87th) after a little number from Brahim Diaz, who had just come on to the ovation of the public, four months after his catastrophic panenka against Senegal in the CAN final. Gessime Yassine and Amine Sbaï also came into play.
The Moroccans are flying to the United States in the coming hours as they play a second preparation meeting in the suburbs of New York, next Sunday, against Erling Haaland’s Norway, the third opponent of the French team at this World Cup 26.
