Bouaddi chooses Morocco after Deschamps snub, French fans furious

Ayyoub Bouaddi will no longer wear France colours. The 19-year-old midfielder, developed through France’s youth system (10 caps), has definitively chosen Morocco after Didier Deschamps decided not to include him in his squad for the 2026 World Cup, ending fourteen years of the former France manager’s tenure.

Deschamps had justified his choice during last March’s gathering, saying the Manchester City player was “not quite ready yet” for the pressure of a World Cup final tournament. “He has the freedom to choose. I haven’t spoken with him, that’s not how I work. We monitor his performances. There is very strong competition,” he had said, without completely closing the door, before the situation crystallised.

National Technical Director Hubert Fournier had nonetheless called Bouaddi a “unique talent”, highlighting the ambivalence of the France staff towards a profile deemed exceptional but considered insufficiently mature for football’s biggest event. The staff ultimately opted for safer bets.

Sunday evening in Tangier, Bouaddi once again demonstrated his level by featuring in Morocco’s 1-1 draw with Mali. His performance reignited frustration among many French supporters on social media. “I will never forgive Didier Deschamps,” wrote one on X in response to a video of his match.

The regrets take on added weight given the profile sought by France’s new manager, Zinedine Zidane. Unlike his predecessor, Zidane has opted for a three-man midfield, more technically focused, a system in which Bouaddi’s profile would have seemed to fit perfectly. The question of whether the former Real Madrid coach would have made a different choice remains open, but it now fuels debate around one of the most controversial decisions of the end of Deschamps’ reign.