Playing in World Cup Would Be Fulfillment of Childhood Dream, Says Zakaria El Ouahdi

“Playing in a World Cup with Morocco would be the fulfillment of a childhood dream,” Zakaria El Ouahdi said in an interview published Saturday by the Belgian daily HBVL, while acknowledging that competition for a place in the national team remains “extremely strong.”

“Achraf Hakimi is the best right-back in the world, Noussair Mazraoui plays for Manchester United, and Omar El Hilali of Espanyol is also a very high-level player,” he explained, noting that national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi also has several options on the left flank, including Salah-Eddine of PSV and El Karouani of Utrecht.

Recently called up to the senior national team, the 23-year-old Zakaria El Ouahdi made his first appearance in a friendly game against Paraguay at the end of March, hoping he “made a good impression.”

Having previously played for youth national teams, he won the U23 Africa Cup of Nations under Issame Charaï, an experience he describes as decisive in his international career and in strengthening his attachment to the Moroccan jersey.

As upcoming fixtures approach, the defender stresses the need to keep improving and to “prove he is in form,” despite an outstanding season with KRC Genk, marked by 11 goals and 3 assists in 37 matches.

Zakaria El Ouahdi was named Belgian Lion 2025, an award recognizing the best player of Maghreb origin playing in Belgium’s top division.

This friendly match is part of Morocco’s national team preparations for the final phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said in a statement.

Kick-off for this match is scheduled at 8:00 p.m. (Morocco time), according to the same source.

Having joined AS Roma in July 2025 from RC Lens for a fee of around €25 million, El Aynaoui signed a five-year contract with the Italian club. However, the current context could pave the way for a move as early as this summer, the same source notes.

Marca also recalled the player’s unique career path as the son of former tennis star Younes El Aynaoui, yet having opted for football under the influence of Andrés Iniesta’s playing style. Known for his strong technical ability and high work rate, he has established himself as a key figure in Morocco’s midfield.

Considered among the pillars of Morocco’s national team, reigning African champions, Neil El Aynaoui is looking to the 2026 World Cup to confirm his status and take his career to the next level, the Spanish newspaper adds.

According to Marca, the player, described as “tireless” and “elegant on the ball,” is among the most sought-after midfielders in European football.

The Atlas Lions opened the scoring through Bilal El Khannous in the 48th minute. Neil El Aynaoui doubled the tally in the 53rd minute.

Gustavo Caballero pulled one back for Paraguay in the 88th minute.

“It was a different match from the one against Ecuador, played on Friday in Madrid. We had to find natural connections and adapt to the opponent,” he explained in the post-match press conference.

Ouahbi also emphasized the importance of drawing lessons without rushing: “I am not going to draw all the conclusions right away. I will mainly focus on our level of play, but also on the level of the opponents we will face during the World Cup.”

While praising the squad’s mindset, he reiterated his progressive approach: “I brought a larger squad. I knew that some players were not going to play, but I am very happy with the group. The best and highest-performing players will be selected to take part in the World Cup.”

“We must not change everything all at once in order to maintain a certain level of consistency,” he further insisted.

In this context, he highlighted the balance between ambition and humility: “We want to have a lot of ambition, but also a lot of humility. Expectations are high for us following our recent performances,” he said.

Furthermore, the national coach expressed his pleasure with how smoothly the training camp went: “This first gathering went very peacefully. I am very satisfied,” Ouahbi concluded.

The Ecuadorians opened the scoring through John Yeboah in the 48th minute. Neil El Aynaoui equalized for the Atlas Lions in the 88th minute of the game.

Mohamed Ouahbi’s men will play a second friendly match against Paraguay on March 31 at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens.

These two matches are part of the Atlas Lions’ preparations for the 2026 World Cup.