Ounahi Morocco Hero World Cup Quarter-Final France

There are players who change dimension the moment they wear their national team jersey. Azzedine Ounahi is one of them. His club career has often resembled a roller coaster, but with Morocco, the midfielder rediscovers a light that has stuck with him since the 2022 World Cup.

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At the time, Spain had just been eliminated by the Atlas Lions in the round of 16. Luis Enrique, then Spanish coach, had been impressed by this lanky number 8 player. "This boy with number 8 impressed me," he had acknowledged, admiring his physical resilience and technical quality.

Since then, Ounahi has taken a much less linear path. Having played for Avranches, Angers, Olympique de Marseille, Panathinaikos, and Girona, he has not always lived up to expectations in the club game. At Marseille, Roberto De Zerbi did not really open the door for him. In Greece, his spell left no lasting impression. At Girona, the season ended with relegation to the second division.

And yet, Morocco has found its number 8 again at the moment it needed him most. Against Canada, Ounahi scored a decisive brace, allowing the Atlas Lions to reach the World Cup quarter-finals and secure another meeting with France.

A player transformed with Morocco

Named man of the match by FIFA after his performance against Canada, Ounahi emphasized the collective strength of the Moroccan squad. "We are a team, we are all united and we want the same thing," he declared, reminding that the players knew what this national team represented for an entire country.

His return to the spotlight comes at the best possible time. In the possible absence of Ismael Saibari, who is injured, Ounahi could have an even more important role against the Blues. With Brahim Díaz in creation and Ayyoub Bouaddi in midfield, he is among the players capable of causing problems for the French team.

His profile remains particular. Ounahi is not just a possession midfielder. He can break a line through dribbling, accelerate between two opponents, find a pass in tight space, or emerge in the box. This is precisely the type of player who can hurt in a tight match.

France surely remembers him. In 2022, he had already surprised European football. Four years later, despite an unstable club career, he returns in the role he prefers: that of a player reborn with Morocco.

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His club future could also be revived by this World Cup. Brighton, Real Sociedad, Betis, Celta, Atlético Madrid, Fiorentina, and Genoa are among the clubs mentioned as interested. But before the market, there is France. And for Ounahi, the opportunity to confirm that Morocco remains the place where his talent is best expressed.