Mondial 2026 : Issa Diop, ce héros marocain qui aurait pu jouer pour le Sénégal
He became a national hero. Issa Diop, the Fulham defender, saved Morocco from elimination in the World Cup by scoring the equalizer against the Netherlands in second-half stoppage time. This crucial goal allowed Achraf Hakimi's teammates to take the Oranje to penalties and ultimately win the Round of 32 match (3-2 on penalties). The entire kingdom owes a huge debt of gratitude to this Premier League player who could have worn the Senegalese jersey. Indeed, Issa Diop was born in Toulouse to a Senegalese father and a Moroccan mother.
Aliou Cissé's attempts to lure him into the Lions' den were in vain. He initially said he wanted to play for France before changing his mind in 2026, but not for Senegal. The footballer preferred to join another den: that of Morocco's Atlas Lions.
With Romain Saïss's retirement, Nayef Aguerd's injury, and Adam Masina's absence, he thought he had a chance to become a regular starter in Mohamed Ouahbi's team. To say the least, he wasn't wrong. The new coach of the Moroccan national team has faith in him, and he's repaying that faith.
"I'm very happy for him. He's a very calm person, with a real quiet strength."
The Belgian-Moroccan coach is very pleased with his performances. He praised him after Morocco's victory on Tuesday night. "I'm very happy for him. He's a very calm person, with a real quiet strength. I didn't know when he was going to score a goal, but I was convinced it would be in a very important match. He deserves this moment," said the Atlas Lions' coach at a press conference.
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