Bouaddi chooses Morocco and definitively closes the door on France

Ayyoub Bouaddi has made his choice: the Lille midfielder will wear Morocco’s colours, definitively closing the door on a France call-up. The 18-year-old confirmed it on the biggest stage possible, delivering a high-quality performance in Morocco’s 1-1 draw against Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.

A French U-21 international until recently, Bouaddi had the choice between the two nations. According to L’Équipe, he was not in Didier Deschamps’ plans for this World Cup. Zinedine Zidane, tipped to succeed the France manager, reportedly sounded out his entourage, but failed to sway his decision.

Against Brazil, Bouaddi left no doubt about his quality: 60 successful passes out of 66 attempted, 6 balls recovered and 9 duels won, all against a Premier League double pivot made up of Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro. The Lions of the Atlas earned a well-deserved draw against the Seleção, and the Roubaix native was one of the architects.

For France, the loss is tangible. Bouaddi represented one of the most promising profiles in French football at his position, developed in France and revealed in Ligue 1 with LOSC. His choice in favour of Morocco fits a trend that regularly deprives the Blues of dual-national players who come of age at the moment of deciding.