10 August 2026
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a special congratulatory message to young Moroccan star Ayoub Bouadi after he made history at the 2026 World Cup. Bouadi became the youngest player to participate in a World Cup quarter-final since the late Brazilian legend Pelé.
On Sunday evening, Infantino posted a video on his official Instagram account featuring clips of Bouadi alongside footage of Pelé, commenting: "Moroccan Ayoub Bouadi made history in his match against France in the 2026 World Cup quarter-final, becoming the youngest player to participate in this stage since the legendary Pelé!"
The FIFA president added, praising the Moroccan talent: "Congratulations to Ayoub Bouadi on this remarkable achievement."
To highlight the significance of this exceptional achievement, history recalls the 1958 World Cup, when the legendary Pelé played for Brazil against Wales in the quarterfinals at the age of 17 years and 239 days.
In contrast, Ayoub Bouadi made his historic debut in the 2026 World Cup at the age of 18 years and 280 days, becoming the second youngest player to reach this advanced stage in the tournament's history and etching his name in the annals of world football.
Although the Atlas Lions were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the quarterfinals after a 2-0 defeat to France, Bouadi was one of the most outstanding young talents to capture attention during the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
