Morocco entered the quarterfinals showdown against France at the 2026 World Cup with a chip on their shoulder. For breakout midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, the stakes were even higher as he would be facing his birth country and the national team he represented through the junior ranks.
Morocco’s 26-man roster featured 20 players born overseas, with Bouaddi among them. In recent years, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) has done an outstanding job of recruiting players from the Moroccan diaspora, and Bouaddi is a prime example.
The 18-year-old went back and forth over his international future before ultimately choosing to represent Morocco, his parents’ homeland, after Didier Deschamps and the French senior national team never gave him an opportunity. Although the Atlas Lions’ journey came to an end against Les Bleus, Bouaddi expressed no regrets about his decision.
Bouaddi doubles down on national team choice
In another life, Bouaddi could’ve been on the winning side of history that unfolded in Foxborough. Instead, he’s settling for Morocco’s prize money after their quarterfinal elimination. Still, Bouaddi chose this path, and he’s fine with the result.
Ayyoub Bouaddi #6 of Morocco.
“I don’t regret choosing Morocco. It’s a choice made from the heart, no matter what happens,” Bouaddi said after France’s 2-0 win over Morocco eliminated the Atlas Lions from the 2026 World Cup, via Le 360. “A match isn’t some divine science. It doesn’t necessarily go as planned. We’re going to give it our all to come back even stronger.”
Bouaddi’s journey
Born in Senlis (about an hour from Paris) on October 2, 2007, to Moroccan parents, Bouaddi played for France’s youth national teams at every age level. In fact, he captained Les Bleus‘ U-21 squad at just 17 years old. However, the LOSC Lille product was fixed on playing at the 2026 World Cup. Seeing that Deschamps wouldn’t call him up to the 26-man roster, he finally gave in to Morocco’s seduction.
Bouaddi had turned the Atlas Lions down ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). However, he had a change of heart months before the 2026 World Cup and joined Mohamed Ouahbi’s side. In fact, Bouaddi made his national team debut and earned his first official international cap for Morocco in May 2026, just weeks before the start of soccer’s biggest tournament.
Bouaddi’s market value
The spotlight wasn’t too bright for him, as the central midfielder caught the eye of the world and is drawing massive interest from clubs across the globe. According to Transfermarkt, Bouaddi currently has a market value of around $50 million. He’s the second-most valuable Moroccan according to that source, behind only Achraf Hakimi, who is reportedly nearing the $80 million mark.
