The Morocco national team took a gut punch just 20 minutes into its Round of 16 clash with Canada on Saturday night. Ismael Saibari, the Atlas Lions’ leading scorer in this World Cup, limped off with a muscle injury and did not return.
Saibari, who just completed a high-profile move to Bayern Munich this summer, was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi. The timing could not be worse. Morocco had already been under pressure early in the match, and losing their most dangerous attacking threat this early leaves a gap that’s hard to fill against a scrappy Canadian side.
What This Means for Morocco’s Run
The injury isn’t just a one-game problem. If Morocco manages to get past Canada and advance, they would head into the quarterfinals without their tournament star. Saibari had been the focal point of their offense, carrying the load with timely goals and the kind of movement that forces defenses to collapse. Without him, manager Walid Regragui has to scramble for a new plan on the fly.
It’s also worth noting that a potential quarterfinal opponent could be France. Yes, that France. The team that beat them in the 2022 semifinal. France has been watching this game closely, and while they are not the type to celebrate an opponent’s injury, they sure just caught a break.
The Irony of the Moment
Some fans online are already grumbling about luck falling Didier Deschamps’ way again. But regardless of what happens in the rest of this match, Morocco’s path just got a lot steeper. Saibari’s absence changes how they’ll have to play — less flexibility in the attack, more reliance on set pieces and counters.
Canada, for its part, won’t feel sorry for anyone. They came into this tournament as underdogs and have already shown they can make things uncomfortable for bigger names. If they sense Morocco is rattled, they will push.
The medical staff has not given a formal timeline on Saibari’s recovery, but muscle injuries in the middle of a knockout tournament rarely heal fast. Morocco might have to finish this World Cup run without their biggest weapon. That is a tough pill to swallow for a team that had realistic semifinal hopes.
For now, Regragui has to figure out how to survive the next 70-plus minutes without him. Then worry about the rest later.
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