Morocco’s forgotten 2022 World Cup hero Sabiri starts again with Eyupspor

Abdelhamid Sabiri, whose assist helped Morocco secure a famous World Cup victory over Belgium in 2022, has joined Turkish club Eyupspor as he attempts to revive a career that has taken him away from the national team.

The 29-year-old midfielder has signed as a free agent and will remain with the Super Lig side until 2028. Eyupspor finished 15th among the division’s 18 teams last season.

Sabiri has not played for Morocco since June 2023 and was subsequently overlooked for the 2026 World Cup, which concluded almost two weeks ago. He has won 11 caps for the Lions of the Atlas and scored twice.

His last major contribution for the national side came three and a half years ago, when his decisive pass helped Morocco beat Belgium 2-0 in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup. That result was one of the defining moments of Morocco’s historic campaign, but Sabiri has since disappeared from the international picture.

His decline has partly been linked to an unsuccessful move to Fiorentina. After joining the Italian club, he made only two appearances across three years. He then spent time on loan with Sampdoria, Al-Fayha, Ajman Club and Al-Taawoun, but failed to establish himself at any of those clubs.

The move to Eyupspor represents a fresh start for the player, who was born in Goulmima and previously played for Paderborn. The Turkish club confirmed his arrival in a statement, bringing an end to a difficult period in which regular first-team football proved hard to find.

Sabiri will now hope that a sustained run of matches in Turkey can help him recover his form and confidence. A return to consistent club football could also give him a route back into the Morocco set-up, although he has not been selected by the national side for more than three years.

His international career began with promise, and his role in the win over Belgium briefly placed him among Morocco’s most prominent players. However, the unsuccessful spell at Fiorentina and a succession of loan moves prevented him from building on that breakthrough.

Eyupspor’s decision to offer him a contract through 2028 gives Sabiri the stability he has lacked in recent seasons. For now, the priority will be to secure regular involvement in the Turkish top flight and rebuild his reputation after falling out of favour internationally.