"He didn't impress me" - Morocco coach's stunning verdict on World Cup sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has offered a strikingly calm assessment of teenage sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi following the Atlas Lions' impressive 1-1 draw against Brazil in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C opener - and his words speak volumes about just how highly the youngster is regarded within the Moroccan setup.

While the footballing world scrambled to find superlatives to describe the 18-year-old's commanding World Cup debut, Ouahbi was unmoved.

"He didn't impress me, because I already knew whom he was as a player," the Morocco coach stated plainly after the match. It was not a dismissal - far from it.

It was the quiet confidence of a man who had seen this performance coming long before the rest of the world caught on.

Ouahbi acknowledged the widespread excitement surrounding his young midfielder, but was quick to put Bouaddi's display into proper context.

"People are excited about him. Performing as he did, at such a young age, is great," he said.

"But remember he's played at big games, against Madrid in the Champions League."

That reference to Bouaddi's Champions League experience with Lille is a crucial one. This was not a player stepping into the bright lights for the first time and getting lucky.

This was a teenager already battle-hardened by European football's elite competition, bringing that poise and maturity onto the World Cup stage against the five-time champions.

Bouaddi constantly made himself available during the build-up phase, helping Morocco play through pressure. His technical quality stood out, but so did his strength, work rate and composure

For Ouahbi, none of that came as a surprise. He had staked Morocco's World Cup campaign on this player - sensationally convincing Bouaddi to switch his international allegiance from France, where he had represented the national youth setup up to Under-21 level, to Morocco just weeks before the tournament.

That gamble has already delivered a statement result on opening night.

The coach's measured words carry a deeper message for Morocco's rivals in the tournament: what the world witnessed against Brazil was not a one-off.

It was simply Bouaddi, doing what Bouaddi does. And if Ouahbi is to be believed, there is plenty more to come.