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Morocco's midfielder #06 Ayyoub Bouaddi and Brazil's forward #07 Vinicius Junior during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images)

A lot of eyeballs were on Morocco’s 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi during the nation’s opening match against Brazil in the 2026 World Cup.

Bouaddi finished the game against Brazil with 87 touches — that’s more than any other Moroccan player. Also, no other player completed as many successful dribbles as Bouaddi during the match.

“He also made several important defensive contributions in the heart of the park, and while there were moments in which he overreached himself or let possession slip, the intelligence with which he ran the midfield was outstanding for one so young,” ESPN’s Ed Dove wrote. “There was absolutely no sense in which Bouaddi was a youngster playing his first competitive match for the national side, against Brazil, no less, at a World Cup, no less, and against former Champions League winners Casemiro and Fabinho.”

But how is Bouaddi in the position that he’s in today? Get to know the Moroccan 18-year-old star.

Get to Know Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi: 2026 World Cup 18-Year-Old Star

Ayyoub Bouaddi wasn’t even born in Morocco; he was born in Senlis, France. As a child, he joined Lille academy in 2021 and eventually signed his first professional contract with the club in August 2023.

Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille in a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match against KÍ Klaksvík when he was just 16 years old. He also became the youngest player to appear in a match not just for Lille, but in League 1 since Joël Fréchet in 1981.

Since then, Bouaddi has only grown, signing a contract extension with Lille in December 2025 until June 2029. But despite playing in France his whole career and being born in Senlis, he chose to play for Morocco.

“The coach and the president told me immediately that choosing Morocco was the right decision and that I would receive an incredible welcome,” Bouaddi said. “They did not lie. The welcome has been incredible, the facilities are top-level, the team is fantastic, so everything is perfect. I am very happy to represent my country, Morocco. I hope we will achieve great things in the competitions to come. I want to thank the Moroccan people for this welcome, and I hope we will achieve great things together.”

Top Clubs Will Look to Sign Bouaddi

GettyMorocco’s midfielder 06 Ayyoub Bouaddi takes part in a training session during the 2026 World Cup football tournament at the Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, on June 11, 2026. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images)

After a fantastic World Cup debut performance by the 18-year-old Moroccan, there will certainly be interest from some of the top clubs around the world.

According to reports, Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea have gained serious interest in Ayyoub Bouaddi, with Lille aware of the competition and anticipating bids “surpassing 50 million euros.”

This was back in December of 2025. Now, after watching his masterful performance against Brazil in the World Cup, his price tag will definitely rise, with more teams expected to get in the mix.

For now, Bouaddi is solely focused on helping Morocco win the 2026 World Cup, and head coach Mohamed Ouahbi gave his thoughts on starting the 18-year-old.

“It was not a risk to play him just because he’s 18. I only look at players’ performance, not the age of the player. He could be 35, and if he plays well, he’ll play, or 17. …Maybe it’s because he’s a new player that everyone’s got so excited, it was his first match at international level, an important match at his young age, but he’s not short of experience.”

Bouaddi will only continue to trend up, and it’s a joy to watch him on the pitch.