Brazil 1-1 Morocco: Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old who dominated Brazil and is eyed by Arsenal

Vinicius Junior near the transportation astatine the MetLife Stadium with the man-of-the-match trophy successful Brazil's World Cup opener against Morocco. It was hardly a surprise: Brazil's fig 7 was 1 of the fewer players to radiance successful yellowish connected Saturday, June 13, and controlled the attacking play. From the Moroccan side, the 1-1 draw came down to the corporate spot of the squad, peculiarly successful the archetypal half, and to the brilliance of a young prospect.

Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, looked similar a seasoned successful the Moroccan midfield. Wanted by France, the fig six chose alternatively to correspond the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists successful the aboriginal stages of his career. He has arrived arsenic a large boost to Mohamed Ouahbi's young project, susceptible of pressing precocious to disrupt Brazil's build-up play.

Ayyoub Bouaddi helped heap the unit connected Brazil

Of each the cardinal midfielders connected show, Bouaddi was the 1 who showed the astir maturity successful controlling the shot for Morocco. At 1 constituent successful the archetypal half, his broadside had arsenic overmuch arsenic 70 per cent possession against Brazil, who were adjacent showing signs of nerves trying to halt their opponents successful their World Cup opener.

The Lille midfielder misplaced conscionable six of his 66 attempted passes crossed the 90 minutes successful New Jersey. By comparison, Casemiro, who near the transportation astatine half-time with a complaint, touched the shot lone 18 times. Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro's midfield spouse successful the starting eleven, completed 38 passes.

Bouaddi did not lone marque the quality connected the shot against Brazil. Operating conscionable down the attacking line, the holding midfielder applied unit connected Brazil's mistakes. The opening extremity of the lucifer came precisely from his pressing, alongside Noussair Mazraoui and Bilal El Khannouss closing down Lucas Paqueta.

In the determination that followed, with the shot recovered, Mazraoui recovered a diagonal walk for Brahim Diaz, who slipped Ismael Saibari into abstraction to dink the shot implicit Alisson and people Morocco's lone extremity of the night. Bouaddi besides won 9 of his 14 crushed duels successful midfield.

Arsenal measurement up their pursuit of Bouaddi

Such a show against Brazil volition lone person intensified Arsenal's involvement successful the teenager. According to aggregate reports, including Sacha Tavolieri connected Sky Sport Switzerland, the Gunners are stepping up their efforts to onshore the Lille midfielder this summertime and person been successful regular interaction with his entourage since the commencement of 2025.

Mikel Arteta's side, who lifted the Premier League rubric past season, are competing with Paris Saint-Germain for the 18-year-old's signature, but Arsenal judge they clasp 2 cardinal advantages implicit the French champions. The Gunners person indicated to Bouaddi's campy that helium would beryllium fixed an important relation from the outset astatine the Emirates Stadium, a connection that has reportedly resonated with the player, and they are not a nonstop rival of Lille successful Ligue 1.

Lille, however, are understood to beryllium holding retired for astir €70m (£60m). Initial bids from Arsenal successful the portion of €45m (£39m) person been rebuffed, with further discussions betwixt the parties planned for aft the World Cup.

After the 1-1 gully with Brazil, Morocco are preparing for different decisive fixture successful their bid for a knockout spot. The North African broadside look Scotland connected Friday, June 19, astatine the Gillette Stadium successful Foxborough.