Morocco – Spain | World Cup Qatar: Ounahi, the Moroccan who left Luis Enrique speechless: “My mom! The place did he come from?”

Legend has it that Azzedine Ounahi (Casablanca, 4-19-2000) continues to run on the ‘inexperienced’ of Al Rayyan’s Training Metropolis. The Angers midfielder was key, with and with out the ball, for Morocco to finish up eliminating Spain on penalties within the spherical of 16 of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The Angers midfielder was the footballer who lined probably the most kilometers (14.71) within the match. He was additionally the second participant from Morocco who recovered probably the most balls (9), the second who accomplished probably the most profitable tackles, the second who received probably the most duels (7)… and generated the one-on-one that Walid Cheddira failed at 103′ of additional time.

Ounahi’s recital left Luis Enrique himself speechless. “I used to be pleasantly stunned by quantity 8, I do not bear in mind his identify, I am sorry. My goodness!!! The place did that boy come from? He performs very effectively. Achraf and Ziyech are apparent, we all know En-Nesyri effectively, we all know Amrabat too… However this boy hasn’t stopped operating. We’ve got mentioned it within the ‘workers’. Spectacular”.

I used to be pleasantly stunned by quantity 8, I do not bear in mind what the identify is, sorry. My mom!!! The place did that boy come from? He performs very effectively

Luis Enrique

It’s not shocking. Even Ounahi himself is stunned to see himself in Qatar 2022. “What has occurred to me is unimaginable. A yr in the past I used to be taking part in within the French Third Division. I by no means imagined that now I might be taking part in in a World Cup”acknowledged on FIFA.com.

What has occurred to me is unimaginable. A yr in the past I used to be taking part in within the French Third Division. I by no means imagined that now I might be taking part in a World Cup

Azzedine Ounahi

His ascension, certainly, has been meteoric. Ounahi, till 2018, belonged to the Mohammed VI Academy, the identical one during which Aguerd and En-Nesyri have been educated. From there he made the leap to the Strasbourg subsidiary. He didn’t make his debut with the primary group and, in 2020-21, he went to Avranches. His nice season within the Third Division – he scored 5 targets in 27 league video games – earned him the leap to the First Division with Angers in 2021. “Within the Third room with kicks within the ankle and knee in every sport,” he recollects.

His nice idol is Iniesta

That ‘fragility’, effectively hid towards Spain, has marked his soccer life. “In my neighborhood they have been all taller than me, so I needed to be extra technical than the remainder. I attempt to keep away from melee as a result of nearly all of the gamers are stronger than me. I attempt to play quick: contact and transfer”, acknowledged in an interview with ‘Ouest-France’.

In my neighborhood they have been all taller than me, so I needed to be extra technical than the remainder. I attempt to play quick: contact and transfer

Azzedine Ounahi

The Angers midfielder, backside group in Ligue 1, is impressed, curiously, by a former Spanish worldwide: “I pay shut consideration to Iniesta. Though he has unimaginable high quality, he doesn’t flaunt it with nice technical gestures. I attempt to do the identical: play merely and effectively in order to not lose the ball.”

Johann Louvel, one in every of his coaches on the Mohamed VI Academy, feeds one other comparability: “He was the primary participant that caught my consideration. He jogged my memory of Mahrez. I do know their place is totally different, however that they had the same morphology and the identical qualities: good method, athletic physique and an excellent means to beat rivals”.

Ounahi jogged my memory of Mahrez. They’ve the same morphology and the identical qualities: good method, athletic physique and an excellent means to beat rivals.

johann louvel

Covers 12-13 kilometers per sport

Its bodily deployment shouldn’t be new. She additionally comes customary. “On the Academy I used to be at all times first within the VMA (maximal cardio pace) checks and at Angers I’m second behind Waniss Tabi. I normally end all of the video games with 12-13 kilometers in my legs. Towards Marseille possibly it occurred to me a bit”, he acknowledged in ‘Ouest-France’, alluding to the 13.94 kilometers he lined, a report for the 2021-22 season in Ligue 1.

On the Academy he was at all times first within the VMA (maximal cardio pace) checks. He used to complete all of the video games with 12-13 kilometers in his legs.

Azzedine Ounahi

His nice debut season in Ligue 1 with Angers – he performed 32 video games, scored two targets and gave two assists – opened the doorways to creating his debut with Morocco. Vahid Halilhodzic gave him the choice a yr in the past, on the gates of the African Cup, and Ounahi ended up being important for ‘The Atlas Lions’ to get into Qatar 2022: he scored two targets towards DR Congo (4-1) within the playoffs.

“He’s a unprecedented participant, however he nonetheless has room for enchancment. Towards Spain he raised his stage once more. If he continues like this, he will probably be one of many nice revelations of the World Cup.”assures his new technician, Walid Regragui. At Angers they’re already rubbing their arms… with the participant who left Luis Enrique speechless.