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A few months ago, Ismael Saibari was at the center of criticism after an incident during the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal. Today, the 25-year-old midfielder is one of the most prominent names at the World Cup, where he is fighting for the trophy for the tournament's top scorer.
During the Africa Cup of Nations final, Saibari was filmed attempting to take the towel from Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendi during a tense moment of the match. The footage quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism and backlash against the Moroccan player.
However, after the final, Saibari took a step that was widely praised. He visited the Senegal national team hotel to personally apologize to Mendi and the team members for his behavior. The gesture was seen as a sign of maturity and respect, closing an episode that had threatened to damage his image.
The big surprise of the World Cup
On the eve of the 2026 World Cup, the names considered favorites for the "Golden Boot" were Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior. In Morocco, too, attention was focused on Brahim Diaz and Ashraf Hakimi, while the name of Ismael Saibari was rarely mentioned.
The World Cup, however, changed everything.
Saibari has scored in all three group stage matches, scoring against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti. The goal against Brazil, in the 1-1 draw, attracted the attention of the sports opinion for the calm and quality way of finishing in front of goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Against Scotland he scored after just 70 seconds of play, recording the fastest goal of the tournament up to that point, as well as Morocco's fastest goal in World Cup history.
He was also decisive in the match against Haiti, scoring the 2-2 equalizer shortly before the end of the first half, in a match that Morocco won 4-2.
Historical records and transfers to Bayern Munich
With three goals in his first three World Cup matches, Saibari has made history in Moroccan and African football. He is the first Moroccan player to score in each of his first three World Cup matches, as well as the first African player to score in each of his first three matches in the competition.
His performances have also attracted interest from Europe's biggest clubs. The attacking midfielder has been transferred to Bayern Munich for 55 million euros, where he will be part of the team until 2031.
With his future now secured at one of Europe's biggest clubs, Saibari is expected to start the knockout stage of the World Cup with full confidence and as one of the tournament's main protagonists.
From criticism to star status
Within a few months, Ismael Saibari has gone from an episode that went viral on social media to the status of one of the most talked-about footballers of the 2026 World Cup. The Moroccan midfielder has become one of the candidates for the "Golden Boot", confirming that in football, a few big matches are enough to radically change the perception of a player.
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