One of football's best young talents turns back on France as allegiance switch confirmed ahead of World Cup

Just months after it was reported that the French FA were working to secure his future, highly-rated midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has decided to switch allegiance ahead of this summer's World Cup.

Bouaddi, who has represented France at youth level since 2022, is widely regarded as one of the best young players in world football following his breakthrough at Ligue 1 side Lille.

Such is his talent, the 18-year-old midfielder was given the captain's armband for Gerard Baticle’s under-21 side as France came up against Luxembourg and Iceland during the March international break.

But on Thursday evening, just an hour before Didier Deschamps announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, it was confirmed that Bouaddi will play for Morocco at this summer's tournament.

The news was confirmed by L'Equipe reporter Hugo Guillemet, who described the news as a "major coup" for Morocco, who have convinced one of the continent's "greatest prospects" to switch allegiance.

"It’s a loss for the FFF, which was banking on Bouaddi, already a mainstay of the Espoirs and to whom Gerald Baticle had entrusted the captain’s armband," added Guillemet.

Bouaddi has played for France at youth level. Image credit: Getty

A spokesperson from the FRMF (Royal Moroccan Football Federation) confirmed that Bouaddi will play for the country, which is the homeland of his parents.

"Morocco now offers one of the most structured, visible, and promising systems for football development," they told L'Equipe. "Young talents find opportunities for growth, a high-performing environment, and sporting prospects that meet the highest international standards.

"This rallying is part of a continuous dynamic that confirms this reality, following the choices of Brahim Diaz, Neil El Aynaoui, and, among the younger generation, Ibrahim Rabbaj. Morocco continues to attract and unite its best talents, generation after generation."

How good is Ayyoub Bouaddi?

Bouaddi, who has already made more than 90 first-team appearances for Lille since his debut in 2023, has been compared to some of the biggest names in football.

"He's fantastic," said European football broadcaster Andy Brassell, who spoke about Bouaddi for talkSPORT.

"He's not the same player as Wayne Rooney, obviously, but I think you get a little bit of that Wayne Rooney or Jude Bellingham feel for him. In terms of how he's physically built, it says on his birth certificate that he's a boy, but he looks like a man immediately

"He's someone who can really handle himself, someone who doesn't give the ball away much, someone who can cover that space box-to-box, and he's tactically disciplined."

Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have been previously linked with a move for the teenage midfielder, along with Arsenal and Manchester United.