Three months ago, France U-21 international - today, taking on Les Bleus with Morocco

Before the 2026 World Cup, hardly anyone had heard of Ayyoub Bouaddi. The young midfielder has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in world football, and the fact that he has done it on the biggest stage speaks volumes about his quality.

Today, the 18-year-old is known as a Morocco international and a target for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. However, just three months ago, he was a France U-21 international!

Tonight, exactly 101 days after his last appearance for Les Bleus, Bouaddi will face their senior side wearing the Atlas Lions shirt (23.00), and he'll be out to prove a point.

Just three months before tonight's World Cup quarter-final, France and Morocco were battling off the pitch for the youngster's international allegiance.

The boy who turned down France & Zidane: Thanks, but I'll play for Morocco

Having represented the European country at every youth level, Bouaddi naturally wanted to break into Didier Deschamps' squad. Nevertheless, the Atlas Lions and their manager, Mohamed Ouahbi, offered him something the Frenchman couldn't - a place on the team and playing time.

While the France head coach reportedly couldn't even guarantee Bouaddi a spot in the 26-man World Cup squad, the Moroccan assured him of a major role, which eventually tipped the scales in favour of the Atlas Lions.

Moroccan wonderkid captivates giants— England and Germany's elite are targeting Bouaddi

This decision turned out to be excellent, as the midfielder caught the eye of many European giants and already made a name for himself thanks to a string of standout performances in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

However, Bouaddi will be determined to prove, once again, that he made the right choice - this time on the pitch against those who let him slip through their fingers, failing to recognize his worth.

WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Quarter-finals

Thursday

23.00: (1.60) France (4.00) Morocco (6.20)

Friday

22.00: (1.65) Spain (4.00) Belgium (5.50)

Sunday

00.00: (4.00) Norway (3.70) England (1.90)

04.00: (1.75) Argentina (3.50) Switzerland (5.50)

***odds are subject to change***