Who is Ayoub Bouaddi, who shocked Brazil in his historic debut?

Rising star Ayoub Bouaddi stole the show in his historic World Cup debut against Brazil at MetLife Stadium on Saturday night. His brilliant performance from the midfield did not come as a surprise to Morocco coach Mohamed Wahbi.

Morocco began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a thrilling 1-1 draw against five-time world champions Brazil. Ismail Sabry's goal in the 21st minute of the match gave the 'Atlas Lions' the lead. However, Vinicius Junior equalized for the Seleção just 11 minutes later.

After playing for the French youth teams, Bouaddi represented the France U-21 team last March. However, he made his debut for the Moroccan senior national team just a few months later in this match.

According to the post-match ‘Sofascore’ data, the 18-year-old footballer has touched the ball the most times for Morocco 87 times, made 60 perfect passes and made 3 successful dribbles. His impeccable performance in the World Cup debut helped Morocco to compete on an equal footing with one of the most successful teams in the world of football, Brazil.

The Lille midfielder showed dominance throughout the match. In the first half, he bottled up Brazil’s Casemiro and in the second half, he took control of the midfield against Fabinho.

A few months ago, he was not sure whether he would play for Morocco. Born in France, he played for France in the age group. However, he had the opportunity to represent Morocco due to his parents’ birth. He was officially allowed to wear the Moroccan jersey just a few months before this World Cup. Even so, coach Ayoub Wahbi did not hesitate to keep him in the XI on a stage like the World Cup.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Morocco coach Mohamed Wahbi said, "Playing him was not a risk because he is only 18 years old." He added, "I only look at the performance of the players, not their age. If he plays well, he will play even if he is 35, or even if he is 17."

The Moroccan coach made it clear that keeping the young Bouaddi in the starting eleven was not a bold or rash decision, stating that it was a well-considered decision and that he had full confidence in the youngster's abilities.

"I am not someone who is afraid of playing young players. We were sure that he would give a great match, so it was not a risk at all. It was not a match to take risks against a team like Brazil."

Bouaddi's performance caught the attention of football fans around the world. After the match, Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano asked football fans on the social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) to name the best player of the match (Man of the Match). Bouaddi's name was mentioned in the majority of the comments, with his confidence, perfect passing and midfield control skills against Brazil being highly praised.

One X user wrote, "Ayoub Bouaddi's calm and composed performance tonight was outstanding. A great performance hidden behind the scenes, in our eyes, that man of the match." Another described him as "more than exceptional" and praised his "patience and passion for the game."

The Atlas Lions will face Scotland in their second Group C match in Foxborough on June 19. Just five days later, Morocco will play their final group match against Haiti in Atlanta. They will be looking to build on the confidence they gained from the Brazil match as they move into the tournament.