Fabrizio
Midfielder · #0 · Italy · 0 yrs
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France World Cup squad boosts Morocco hopes as Ligue 1 star Ayyoub Bouaddi reportedly changes allegiance
After being left out of France’s squad, Ayyoub Bouaddi has reportedly decided to represent Morocco ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On Thursday, France announced its final 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ligue 1 star Ayyoub Bouaddi was not included, a decision that reportedly led him to choose to represent Morocco instead. “Massive news for Morocco: Ayyoub Bouaddi has decided to represent Morocco as national team over France,” reporter Fabrizio Romano wrote Thursday on his official X account. “Plan confirmed… as Bouaddi did not appear on Deschamps’ list.” Bouaddi was one of Lille’s standout players during the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season, with the club currently sitting third in the standings with 61 points, behind only champions Paris Saint-Germain and Lens. Lille will close out its league campaign this Sunday against Auxerre. Across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Europa League, the defensive midfielder made 41 appearances this season and recorded one assist. Those performances, combined with the fact that he is only 18 years old, have made him the subject of transfer rumors ahead of the summer window, with PSG, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich among the reported suitors. 🚨🇲🇦 Massive news for Morocco: Ayyoub Bouaddi has decided to represent Morocco as national team over France.Plan confirmed as @Santi_J_FM reported as Bouaddi did not appear on Deschamps’ list.Lille top talent wanted by several clubs will be in Morocco’s World Cup list. 🌍🆕 pic.twitter.com/wxvEgwqDKF— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 14, 2026 Morocco could add a high-quality player According to Fabrizio Romano’s report, Ayyoub Bouaddi “will be in Morocco’s World Cup list.” That means that, beyond his personal decision to represent the national team, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi plans to include him in the roster. Born in Senlis, France, on October 2, 2007, Bouaddi is of Moroccan descent, giving him the option to represent either country under FIFA rules. At the youth level, the midfielder previously played for France’s U-21 team, including appearances in March of this year against Luxembourg and Iceland. Morocco aiming to make World Cup history again The addition of Ayyoub Bouaddi would give Morocco even more depth heading into the 2026 World Cup. In recent years, the team has benefited from recruiting talented players with Moroccan roots who were born and raised abroad, particularly in Europe. Using that formula, Morocco built a competitive squad featuring stars such as Bono, Achraf Hakimi, and Sofyan Amrabat, who helped lead the national team to a historic fourth-place finish at Qatar 2022. More young talents could now join that core, including several players who won the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year. With that combination of experience and youth, Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad is shaping up as a serious contender for this summer’s tournament in North America.
Carlo Ancelotti reveals the only requirement for Neymar to make Brazil’s final 2026 World Cup roster: ‘It depends on him, not on me’
With the Santos star included in the preliminary squad, speculation continues to grow over whether the veteran forward will make the final 26-man roster for the tournament. Carlo Ancelotti’s first major 2026 World Cup decision as Brazil manager is already dominating headlines, and Neymar remains at the center of the storm. With the Santos star included in the preliminary squad, speculation continues to grow over whether the veteran forward will make the final 26-man roster for the tournament. The uncertainty has created intense debate across Brazil, especially because Neymar remains one of the most influential figures in the national team setup. While supporters continue to dream of one final World Cup run, Ancelotti has now made it clear that only one factor will determine the player’s fate. The countdown toward the Selecao’s final squad announcement has placed enormous pressure on Neymar. The forward has entered what many inside Brazilian soccer consider the most important stretch of his comeback since returning to Santos. The timing is significant because Ancelotti is scheduled to reveal his final squad in Rio de Janeiro shortly after the Peixe completes two crucial domestic fixtures. Those matches could heavily influence the manager’s final thinking before Brazil begins preparations for the 2026 World Cup. In the meantime, Neymar has already shown flashes of his old brilliance during recent weeks. Neymar Jr with another goal for Santos tonight. 🇧🇷A goal or assist delivered every 98 mins in last 17 games. 🔥🏟️ 17 games⚽️ 11 goals🅰️ 4 assists🎥 nodetalhecontent_ on Instagram pic.twitter.com/iTCOVj4WxI— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 10, 2026 Since returning from injury setbacks, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has contributed six goals and three assists in 13 matches during 2026. That return has reignited hope among supporters who still view him as the player capable of inspiring Brazil toward a sixth World Cup crown. However, questions surrounding his readiness have never fully disappeared. The one condition Neymar must satisfy Ancelotti addressed the issue on Tuesday directly while speaking to Reuters, admitting that Neymar’s situation represents one of the toughest decisions facing the coaching staff. However, the former Real Madrid coach insisted that emotions alone will not influence his decision in another interview. On Thursday, the Brazil manager admitted that the forward’s physical condition is the single decisive factor in whether he reaches the final World Cup squad. “The call-up of Neymar depends only on him. It depends on what the player demonstrates on the field,” he stated in comments reported by The Guardian. The veteran coach then delivered the clearest explanation yet about how Neymar is being assessed internally. “This is a very clear criterion, and it does not apply only to Neymar. With most players, you have to evaluate talent and physical condition. With Neymar, we only need to evaluate physical condition, because his talent is indisputable. It depends on him, not on me”, Ancelotti said. Those comments immediately intensified attention around Neymar’s performances for Santos. Every appearance now carries enormous weight as Brazil’s coaching staff studies whether the 34-year-old can physically cope with the demands of another major tournament. Brazil balancing romance and reality amid Neymar’s fitness woes The debate surrounding the 34-year-old’s fitness reflects a larger dilemma inside the Brazil camp. On one side stands the emotional appeal of giving the nation’s all-time leading scorer another chance on soccer’s biggest stage. Moreover, on the other side lies the reality of recent injury struggles. Neymar isn’t the same he used to be after many injuries Neymar has endured multiple physical setbacks over the last two years, including serious knee ligament damage suffered during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in 2023. According to Transfermarkt, the Santos captain suffer