Ayyoub Bouaddi chooses Morocco over France and eyes 2026 and home 2030 World Cups | OneFootball

Ayyoub Bouaddi has chosen to represent Morocco rather than France, with the 18-year-old Lille midfielder set to wear the Atlas Lions’ colours.

L'Équipe reports that the Moroccan federation completed the final administrative steps on Thursday. Bouaddi, courted by both camps for months, made the call himself in recent days, favouring his parents’ homeland.

Rated among the standout 2007 generation alongside Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi and Rodrigo Mora, he burst into the spotlight on his 17th birthday with a masterclass against Real Madrid, a 1-0 Champions League win on 2 October 2024. He has 10 outings for Gérald Baticle’s France Under-21s, with the coach watching him at Monaco on Sunday.

Bouaddi is closing on 100 senior games for Lille, 95 to date including 25 in European competitions, and he extended his deal until 2029 last autumn. Morocco were World Cup semi-finalists in 2022.

The switch opens the prospect of the 2026 World Cup and, notably, a home tournament in 2030, with part of that edition to be staged in Morocco. He should make his World Cup bow against Brazil on 14 June.

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi and federation president Fouzi Lekjaa have both spoken with the player. On the France side, Didier Deschamps had not planned around him for 2026, noting fierce midfield competition and that the choice would rest with Bouaddi.

Source: L'Équipe