World Cup 2026: Mohamed Ouahbi plays down Ayyoub Bouaddi hype after superlative performance against Brazil

Mohamed Ouahbi has downplayed growing excitement around teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, insisting the youngster’s early international involvement does not reflect anything unexpected from the national team’s internal assessment.

Bouaddi, born in Senlis in northern France to Moroccan parents, only received clearance from world football’s governing body in mid-May to represent Morocco.

His eligibility switch came after an extended recruitment effort by Moroccan football officials, who had held several discussions with the player and his representatives in a bid to secure his commitment ahead of his international breakthrough.

The 18-year-old has already earned three caps in pre-tournament warm-up matches before making his competitive debut in a 1-1 draw against Brazil, a fixture in which he was introduced to senior international football at the highest level of opposition.

Despite the attention surrounding his rapid rise, Ouahbi—who guided Morocco to Under-20 World Cup success last year and is now overseeing the development of a new generation of talent—suggested expectations outside the camp had become inflated.

“Maybe it’s because he’s a new player that everyone’s getting a bit carried away,” Ouahbi said. “(He) didn’t impress me; we knew perfectly well what kind of player he was, that’s why we had so many meetings to get him to choose Morocco.”

The remarks underline a broader approach within Morocco’s youth and senior setup, where talent identification and dual-nationality recruitment have become central to long-term planning.

Bouaddi, seen internally as part of that pipeline, is expected to continue integrating into the squad despite the tempered public assessment from the coaching staff.

He is expected to be in action when Morocco take on Scotland in their next Group C game.