From childhood illness to World Cup hero – Morocco’s Saibari inspires Africa

When Ismail Saibari converted the decisive penalty to send Morocco past the Netherlands and into the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his first reaction was not to celebrate with teammates.

Instead, the Morocco midfielder sprinted towards the stands to embrace his mother in one of the tournament’s most emotional moments.

For many supporters, it appeared to be a simple family celebration after a famous victory. But behind the tears and smiles was the story of a player who once faced fears he might never walk properly again.

Doctors feared for his future

Saibari was born in 2001 in the Spanish city of Terrassa to Moroccan parents, but his early childhood was dominated by serious medical concerns.

Doctors discovered that he suffered from a congenital deformity in his feet, which were sharply curved inward, and warned his family that walking normally could become impossible.

A long period of treatment followed, with the young Saibari forced to wear braces, iron supports and specialised medical footwear as his family searched desperately for solutions.

Reflecting on that period later in life, the midfielder admitted his first dream was not to become a footballer, but simply to walk like other children.

Despite the difficult diagnosis, his mother refused to lose hope. She continued to believe that persistence and prayer could help her son overcome the challenge, a belief that remained with Saibari throughout his journey.

Rejected before finding success

After the family later moved to Belgium, Saibari began developing his football talent and eventually joined the Anderlecht academy.

However, another major setback followed during his teenage years when the club released him at the age of 14, reportedly because they believed he was overweight and lacked the physical qualities required at the top level.

Rather than abandon his ambitions, Saibari responded by increasing his training workload and improving his fitness before continuing his development at Genk.

His breakthrough eventually came at PSV Eindhoven, where he steadily established himself as one of the club’s most promising talents.

Strong performances in the Netherlands later attracted interest from several major European clubs, with Bayern Munich among the sides reportedly linked with the Moroccan midfielder.

Morocco choice and World Cup breakthrough

Although born in Spain and raised in Belgium, Saibari chose without hesitation to represent Morocco at international level.

The Belgian Football Federation attempted to convince him to play for the Red Devils, but the midfielder remained committed to the country of his parents and grandparents.

That decision has now helped turn him into one of the leading figures in the Atlas Lions squad.

Saibari arrived at the 2026 World Cup as a talented young player recognised mainly by European football followers, but his performances have elevated him onto the global stage.

He scored against Brazil, netted the fastest goal of the tournament against Scotland and also found the net against Haiti before producing the decisive moment against the Netherlands in the Round of 32.

After 120 tense minutes, Saibari confidently converted the winning penalty before running towards his mother in the crowd.

The embrace captured more than Morocco’s latest World Cup triumph. It represented years of sacrifice, treatment, rejection and belief from a family that refused to accept the limits others tried to place on their son.