Some footballers score goals; Ayoub El Kaabi turns them into airborne exhibitions.
With his spectacular overhead kicks, the Moroccan striker has given AFCON 2025 one of its most striking images, to the point where fans now talk about “scoring an Ayoub El Kaabi” or “El-Kaabicycle” instead of a simple bicycle kick. Each acrobatic finish feels like a small performance, a moment when the entire stadium pauses to see what he will dare to do next.
Since the start of the tournament, El Kaabi’s overhead goals have transformed the mood around Morocco’s campaign, lifting the Atlas Lions from anxiety to belief.
“Every time I turn in the air to score, I try to give a bit of magic to the public. Seeing the supporters happy is priceless,” he admits, capturing how much joy he draws from these acrobatic efforts.
“I don’t think about it too much; I focus on the game and the team,” El Kaabi explains. “But when I pull off those moves, I tell myself that all the hard work is paying off.”
Teammate Achraf Hakimi sums up that feeling from inside the team. “When Ayoub launches himself, you feel that something special is about to happen,” he says.
“He has that unique talent to turn any situation into a spectacular goal.” In those seconds when El Kaabi leaves the ground, an entire nation holds its breath, waiting for the net to shake again.
