‘He has so much quality’ – Stade Rennais FC coach Habib Beye praises Moroccan prodigy Ait Boudlal

The young defender has been steadily carving out a place for himself as one of Ligue 1’s brightest prospects, and his latest performance only strengthened that reputation.

Ait Boudlal was outstanding in Rennes’ emphatic 4-1 win over AS Monaco, delivering a complete showing in both phases of play.

The 19-year-old, who recently marked his international debut with the Atlas Lions against Uganda, opened the scoring for Rennes and played with remarkable maturity throughout the match. His sharp passing repeatedly broke Monaco’s press, while his composure and defensive solidity provided stability for Les Rouge et Noirs.

After the match, Habib Beye highlighted how the teenager’s talent became evident from an early stage.

“Often, a coach discovers a player’s quality through what he produces in training. At times, we realised that when he had 30 meters in front of him, there was nothing that could stop him. We told ourselves he could bring this superiority to the centre through this capacity to carry the ball,” he said.

The former Senegal international continued to praise the Mohamed VI Academy graduate but also urged patience as he develops.

“He’s a boy who has a lot of insouciance, quality, really, I don’t know where his limit is. He’s good in build-up, calm, composed. He contributes defensively. He is physical in duels and very rarely challenged in 1v1 situations. He’s a young 2006-born player, who will yet make mistakes we need to accept. We will continue accompanying him,” Beye added.

With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations approaching and concerns lingering over Nayef Aguerd’s fitness, the coming weeks could be decisive for Ait Boudlal.

If he maintains this level of performance, the Marrakech native may become an essential figure in Walid Regragui’s squad.