Former AC Milan Prodigy Hachim Mastour Rebuilds Career in Morocco After Early Fame Struggles

Hachim Mastour joined Union Touarga Sport in the Moroccan first division this summer, after signing last season with RCA Zemamra, a Moroccan second division club. In an interview with Foot Mercato, the young player explains that he returned to Morocco, his country of origin, because he "wanted to start over from scratch and recreate" himself. He says he "suffered a lot" from his early fame. "I went through a period of depression. It wasn’t easy, I fought so hard and luckily my family was close to me. The world of football is not simple and you meet people who don’t see you as a boy trying to realize his dream, but as a money machine. That’s how I was perceived," he recounts.

Hachim still remembers his first selection with Morocco at the age of 16, becoming the youngest player in the history of the national team. "It was wonderful. I love the way Moroccans appreciate football. When the whole stadium shouted my name, I felt very excited and I couldn’t wait to get on the field! I’m sure there will be other moments like that," he describes. The young player had chosen to play for Morocco rather than Italy. A choice that cost him his career? "When the call-up for the Moroccan national team came, Italy and Milan didn’t want me to leave, I had to convince them and they finally understood my choice. I may have paid the price for this choice. But me, I made a sincere choice," he replied.

Hachim dreams of playing with Neymar, "his idol" with whom he made a video for Red Bull that was a hit. The young player believes that today, football "is much more tactical and it has killed fantasy, instinct. Today, there are no more number 10s of the past... Me, I still want to believe that in football, there is still room for talent and imagination." The Moroccan "would like to play the Champions League or on the European stage one day." He gives advice to "exposed young players": "if you have a dream, you must never give up even if you are discouraged".