Ayyoub Bouaddi sets extraordinary World Cup milestones, one, beaten by Pelé

ByKehinde-Hassan Afolabi

Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi made football history by becoming the first African teenager, and the second-youngest player overall since Pelé, to feature in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final.

Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi etched his name into football folklore on Thursday during the Atlas Lions’ quarter-final clash against France at Gillette Stadium.

Starting the high-stakes match at 18 years and 280 days old, the Lille prodigy officially became the first-ever African teenager to feature in the last-eight stage of a FIFA World Cup tournament.

The highly-rated midfield conductor also secured a grander global milestone, tracking directly behind Brazilian icon Pelé in the tournament archives.

Bouaddi is now verified as the second-youngest player to ever appear in a World Cup quarter-final, trailing only the legendary three-time champion’s timeless 1958 record established against Wales at 17 years and 239 days old.

Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi is a football journalist whose deep tactical understanding of the game makes him a standout, captivating audiences across print, audio, and video. His poetic background brings a unique rhythm and depth to his work, seamlessly transforming analysis into artistry. With a knack for narration and research, he captures the drama of the game beyond tactics and statistics, making each piece of his; a compelling blend of insight and storytelling.

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