“I was pleasantly surprised by their number 8. My goodness, who is that lad?”, a rather baffled Luis Enrique enquired after his Spain side were dumped out of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ at the hands of Morocco on penalties.
The man in question was none other than 22-year-old Azzedine Ounahi, who at the time plied his trade for Ligue 1 outfit Angers and was performing with all of the carefree exuberance you might expect of a player cutting his teeth on football’s grandest stage. “He didn’t stop running all game. He must be dead on his feet," Enrique continued. "He was ever so impressive out there. Morocco are fortunate to have him."
The erstwhile Spain coach was, however, far from his only admirer, with the new kid on the block’s relentless running, tactical nous and jaw-dropping technique earning him rave reviews from all quarters. After defeating the 2010 champions, Morocco continued to break new ground by edging Portugal 1-0 in the last eight. In the semi-finals, however, a clinical France side turned out to be up to the task of taming the Atlas Lions, claiming a 2-0 win.
Four years on, Les Bleus and Morocco are set to renew acquaintances at the global showpiece, with a semi-final spot at stake at . The CAF heavyweights are establishing themselves as regular fixtures at football’s top table and are hungry for another shot at glory. If they are to overcome the French, who are targeting a third world crown, they will need the ever-influential Ounahi to bring his A game.
“To be perfectly honest, I was taken aback by just how well he performed in 2022 because there’s a real step-up between Angers and the game’s crème de la crème, particularly when you’re young. Everyone could see he was a top player,” noted Nasser Larguet, who headed up the Académie Mohammed VI where Ounahi came up through the ranks and later served as technical director at the Moroccan Football Association.
Under Mohamed Ouahbi’s tutelage, Ounahi operates in a slightly more advanced role than the deep-lying midfield berth he occupied when Walid Regragui, was at the wheel. The midfield maestro broke the deadlock as in the sides’ last-16 showdown. He conjured up an unstoppable strike following a free-kick routine, before completing his brace by unleashing the most emphatic of finishes to round off a slick counter-attack. Speaking at full-time, Ounahi’s fresh-faced midfield team-mate Samir El Mourabet revealed that the Casablanca-born pass master was among those who have had the biggest influence on his career.
Larguet, another of Ounahi’s biggest cheerleaders, spoke of the Girona man’s evolution in the national-team’s blueprint since Ouahbi arrived in March: “He has the same on-field attributes but now benefits from the confidence that comes with the maturity he has gained over the past four years. Ouahbi gives him the licence to push further forward and get closer to the opposition’s goal. In 2022, he provided that link between defence and attack and was an assist provider, whereas now he’s the one putting the chances away.”
The Moroccan marvel has had a somewhat tumultuous time of things since announcing himself to the world four years ago. His stellar showings in Qatar earned him a move to Marseille in January 2023. However, he found minutes hard to come by at the Ligue 1 powerhouses and was loaned out to Greek giants Panathinaikos the following September. Last August, he sought pastures new and put pen to paper on a permanent deal at Girona, who were relegated to the Spanish second tier last term. Despite his travails at club level, he has been a mainstay of the national team and featured in the 2023 and 2025 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
“When he plays for his country, he has a real love for the shirt, and there’s fierce competition for places that helps him raise his game," Larguet said. "He’s the sort of player who needs to feel loved and be given the responsibilities he deserves. The one thing I regret is that he hasn’t always been totally trusted for his club sides."
As they bid to give Les Bleus a serious dose of the blues, the Atlas Lions will be looking for the string-pulling supremo to get on the ball, dictate the tempo and initiate the team’s forwards forays. The former Angers ace has always been one for the big occasion. Indeed, he was one of his country’s standout performers in the defeat to Didier Deschamps’ side last time round.
“We spotted him in Casablanca when he was only about ten or 12. Even at that tender age, youngsters compete against adults in tournaments in their neighbourhoods," Larguet continued. "Being involved in those matches enabled him to mature and develop that self-belief, because he has a realistic confidence in his abilities. He’s capable of raising his game without getting carried away."
Now head honcho at Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique will no doubt be keeping close tabs on the action in Boston and, this time round, there will be no need for him – or anyone else – to enquire about the identify of Morocco's No8.
Sources: FIFA Official
