Ayyoub Bouaddi made a stunning World Cup debut for Morocco against Brazil on 13 June, with the €50m-valued teenager dominating the engine room despite his tender age. The Lille midfielder, who switched international allegiance from France to Morocco in May 2026, outshone Brazil's experienced trio of Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paqueta, with Casemiro substituted after struggling to match him.
Bouaddi has accumulated 63 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille since his debut in the 2023-24 season, gaining prominence after impressing in a 1-0 victory against Real Madrid in March 2024 while just 16 years old. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi said of the teenager: "He didn't impress me tonight because we already know what a player he is. We had a lot of meetings with him to get him to choose Morocco, and he was good. He already has a lot of experience in Ligue 1."
Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil through Ismael Saibari's opener and Vinicius Jr's equaliser. Arsenal have registered transfer interest in Bouaddi, who will turn 18 in October.
Bouaddi's immediate impact on football's biggest stage significantly strengthens his bargaining position for summer negotiations. The teenager's World Cup emergence as a midfield force commanding €50m valuation may accelerate transfer betting markets for young Ligue 1 talent moving to elite European clubs.
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