Assahafa.com
Many of the Moroccan players picked to play the 2026 FIFA World Cup have had atypical journeys, but El Kaabi’s one is particularly interesting. More than ten years have passed since his professional debut in Morocco’s second division.
Following a genuine traveller career, from Morocco to China, Türkiye, Qatar, and now Greece, the striker from Casablanca has become one of Olympiakos’ most important players. Following his latest goal for the national team against Madagascar, the 32-year-old looks set to enter the World Cup as the Atlas Lions’ leading center-forward, still chasing his first defining moment on the global stage.
A far from prestigious debut
Unlike many players included in Mohamed Ouahbi’s list, Ayoub El Kaabi did not come from European academies classic formation.
Forced to leave school at the age of 15, he began working as a carpenter to help financially his family while being scouted by Racing Athletic Club of Casablanca (RAC). It is there that El Kaabi made his professional debuts at twenty-one years old in Botola 2, as a left back, before being repositioned as a center-forward.
Climbing the ladder
El Kaabi’s promising first seasons from 2014 to 2017 with RAC made him earn a move to RS Berkane. There, he continued his breakthrough with 23 goals in 38 games.
His season in the club was brilliant, accompanied by his stunning 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), finishing top-scorer and best player of the tournament. Under Hervé Renard, El Kaabi turned to his first Morocco call-up in March 2018.
Later that year, El Kaabi joined Chinese side Hebei FC, despite the interest of European clubs such as Atletico Madrid. This Chinese chapter of his interesting career was followed by a come-back to Morocco at Wydad Casablanca as a loanee in July 2019.
After returning briefly to China, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his trajectory, rushing a new return to Wydad and finishing the 2020/2021 season winning the Botola and the top-scorer title.
He then moved in 2021 to his first European team, Hatayspor in Türkiye. He went on to score 26 goals in 55 games, before his progress was interrupted again by the 2023 earthquakes. A short spell at Al Sadd followed, before he returned to Europe with Olympiakos, where he rediscovered top form.
Finding his place with the Atlas lions
El Kaabi made his Morocco debut in March 2018 against Serbia, followed by his first goal against Uzbekistan, earning a place for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played the first two games, and concluded with an early group-stage exit and a little impact from the striker.
Despite inconsistency in following years, Vahid Halilhodzic gave him his confidence for the 2021 AFCON, but he mainly remained a secondary option. Under Walid Regragui, El Kaabi lost ground and was left out of Morocco’s historic 2022 World Cup campaign.
His transfer to Olympiakos in 2023 made him regain a place in the national team. His 2023 AFCON campaign as a substitute was modest. Following his triumph at the UEFA Conference League, the 2025 AFCON at home was his strongest international tournament yet. Atlas Lions reached the final and El Kaabi finished with 3 goals and 1 assist, including two spectacular overhead kicks.
Today, his ranking of fifth best all-time Morocco’s top-scorer hides a middling journey, but at the age of 32, the last tournament highlights a top dynamic that could portend great performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A striker ready for the World Cup Stage
Following Youssef En-Nessyri’s non-selection, the goalscorer role is now completely on the target for Ayoub El Kaabi.
El Kaabi had played sixteen of Morocco’s last seventeen games, including ten as a starter. He can take full advantage of his excellent aerian ability, natural goal-scoring instinct, experience of international tournaments and confidence gained with Olympiakos through his 21 goals and 2 assists in 40 appearances this season.
His main competitor remains Soufiane Rahimi. The 30 years-old center-forward of Al-Ain in United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played 23 games, for 15 goals and 3 assists, very respectable statistics as well.
During preparation for the four last games, both players received approximately the same number of minutes from Mohamed Ouahbi. But El Kaabi has been 3 times more decisive than his contender.
Many expect the Olympiacos star striker to be the starter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup first game against Brazil in New York for what must be, hopefully for Atlas lions, the greatest moment of his entire career.
Source: Morocco word news
