Paris: A pure homegrown talent, trained at the Mohammed VI Football Academy, the player from the Portuguese club Famalicao, who finished as joint-top scorer of the tournament (5 goals) and second-best player behind his teammate Othmane Maamma, “symbolizes in his own way this historic triumph through his level of performance, his history, and his selflessness,” emphasizes the article.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the newspaper reports that Zabiri had to fight for his club to let him go to the U20 World Cup. “He pushed until the very last moment. He went to see his coach with his captain,” it reports in its article titled “From Words to Deeds: Zabiri, Hero of an Incredible Title.”

“‘I will return as World Champion, top scorer, and I will be the starting forward upon my return’,” the young prodigy had insisted to his coach, who reportedly insinuated that he risked losing his place at the club, where he had arrived in 2024, the publication relates.

L’‰quipe, citing the former director of the Mohammed VI Football Academy, Nasser Larguet, notes that Zabiri was discovered at the age of nine or ten in Marrakech with two characteristics already: “technically strong and liked to run.”

“By choosing to go to Portugal, he took an interesting direction for the progression of his career,” believes L’‰quipe.

For his coach at Famalicao, Hugo Oliveira, quoted by the newspaper, “Yassir is full of talent. Last year, he was an essential element of our U23 team, which finished 2nd, and he was already appearing in the first team. His potential for progress is enormous. He is very intelligent in his movements, very mobile.”

“He will certainly return full of confidence, with more experience and over-motivation. But he must remain what he was: a good boy, hardworking, and attentive. Upon his return, we will welcome him with open arms and help him keep his feet on the ground,” reassured his coach Oliveira.