Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi announced the starting lineup for the Atlas Lions against France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, which once again included Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The lineup continued to feature the young talent Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the midfielder maintaining his impressive presence in the tournament and adding another achievement to his record despite his young age.

According to football statistics network Opta, Ayyoub Bouaddi, aged 18 years and 280 days, became the second-youngest player in World Cup history to appear in a quarter-final match.

Only the Brazilian legend Pele surpasses him, having played in the 1958 World Cup quarter-final against Wales at the age of 17 years and 239 days.

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Bouaddi did not stop at this historic milestone; he also became the first African player ever to play five World Cup matches while still in his teens, an achievement that reflects the great confidence the Moroccan national team has in him.

The young player has delivered outstanding performances since the start of the tournament, making him one of the biggest surprises of the current World Cup, despite it being his first appearance with the national team in a tournament of this magnitude.

Notably, Morocco's maestro has become a major target for European clubs this summer after his brilliance at the World Cup in America.