Morocco international Neil El Aynaoui has established himself as the new cornerstone and driving force of the Atlas Lions’ midfield at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spanish sports daily Marca wrote on Wednesday.
Under the guidance of new Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, El Aynaoui has taken a decisive step forward to « become the true leader in the engine room, » alongside talented midfielders Ayyoub Bouaddi and Azzedine Ounahi.
The AS Roma midfielder possesses the profile of a modern box-to-box player. " He’s a ball-winning machine who drives the play forward, " the publication wrote.
His rise on the international stage mirrors his rapid progress at club level. After joining AS Roma from RC Lens for €23.5 million, El Aynaoui has continued to justify the faith placed in him by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has described him as « very reliable in both phases of the game. »
Already regarded as one of the breakout stars of the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, where he shook up the midfield hierarchy, El Aynaoui is enjoying an outstanding World Cup campaign. An undisputed starter and a key figure in Morocco’s tactical setup, he has displayed remarkable maturity and authority for a player of his age.
Marca particularly highlighted his commanding performance in Morocco’s round-of-16 victory over the Netherlands, where he dictated the tempo of the match. His statistics against the Dutch reflected his influence, as he recorded a match-high 156 touches, completed 97% of his passes, made six key ball recoveries and registered 53 ball carries.
The Atlas Lions celebrate Issa Diop's equaliser against the Netherlands during their 2026 FIFA World Cup round-of-32 match in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 30.
