It’s no surprise Morocco and France both fought hard for Bouaddi’s allegiance.
World Cup winner Olivier Giroud spent the year nudging him to choose France, but Bouaddi said no. Though he came through France’s youth teams, he has always taken deep pride in his family’s Moroccan roots.
Announcing his decision to represent Morocco rather than his birth country, he posted an old Instagram photo of himself at age 10, wearing a Morocco shirt in the stands at the 2018 World Cup. He wrote that he understood the honor of defending those colors and would give everything to represent his country.
He backed up that promise at the New York/New Jersey Stadium. In the 1-1 draw with Brazil, no Moroccan had more touches (87) or completed more passes (60). While others faded in the heat, he kept bursting past yellow shirts to carry Morocco upfield, even in the closing minutes. He relished the physical battle too, winning nine duels and at one point leaving veteran Casemiro on the turf.
Casemiro was substituted at half-time after what captain Achraf Hakimi called a masterclass from Bouaddi. For those who know him best, like former Creil coach Armand Doue, it was nothing unusual: he turns in that level of performance week after week in Ligue 1.