Ayyoub Bouaddi
Moroccan footballer (born 2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ayyoub Bouaddi[α] (born 2 October 2007) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City. Born in France, he plays for the Morocco national team.[2]
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Bouaddi with Morocco in 2026 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 October 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | Senlis, France | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Manchester City | ||
| Number | 32 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2021 | AFC Creil | ||
| 2021–2023 | Lille | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023 | Lille B | 3 | (0) |
| 2023–2026 | Lille | 63 | (0) |
| 2026– | Manchester City | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022–2023 | France U16 | 8 | (3) |
| 2023–2024 | France U17 | 5 | (0) |
| 2024 | France U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024 | France U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2024–2026 | France U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2026– | Morocco | 9 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 September 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 September 2026 | |||
Early life and education
Bouaddi was born in Senlis, France, to a Moroccan family of Shilha Berber origin with roots in the city of Tiznit.[3][4] In June 2023, at the Elysée Palace, he won the fourth eloquence competition for French football academies.[5] He gained a high school diploma in mathematics and physics through distance learning.[6]
Club career
Lille
After starting football as a child in Creil, Bouaddi joined Lille academy in 2021. On 21 August 2023, he signed his first professional contract with the club until June 2026.[7]
On 5 October 2023, Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille in a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match against Faroese club KÍ which ended as a goalless draw.[8] At the age of 16 years and 3 days, this made him the youngest player ever to play in a European club competition game.[9] He also became the youngest player to appear in an official match for Lille, a record which was previously held by Joël Henry since 1978.[10] On 22 October, at 16 years and 20 days, he became the youngest player in Ligue 1 since Joël Fréchet in 1981.[11]
A year later, on 2 October 2024, Bouaddi became one of the youngest Lille players to start in a UEFA Champions League match, playing on his 17th birthday in a 1–0 home win against Real Madrid in the 2024–25 league phase.[12] He started alongside captain Benjamin André after a combination of injuries, suspension and eligibility issues left Lille short of midfielders.[12] Being one of the best players on the pitch, his performance was praised by various media.[13][14][15] After the final whistle, Lille ultras sang Joyeux Anniversaire (French for "Happy Birthday to You") with the players for Bouaddi when celebrating the win.[16]
On 5 December 2025, Bouaddi signed a contract extension with Lille until June 2029.[17] In January 2026, he became the youngest player to make 50 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille, breaking the record previously held by Eden Hazard.[18]
Manchester City
On 26 August 2026, Premier League club Manchester City signed Bouaddi for a reported £85.6m on a five-year contract.[19][20] He made his debut on 28 August 2026, in a league match against Crystal Palace.[21]
International career
France
Bouaddi has been part of France’s youth setup at various levels, including the under-21 side, which he captained.[22][23]
Morocco
On 15 May 2026, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation announced that FIFA had approved their request to switch Bouaddi's international allegiance to Morocco.[24] On 26 May, he was named in Morocco's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[25] He made his FIFA World Cup debut in the opening match against Brazil, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[26] In the quarter-finals against France, he became the first African teenage player to make five World Cup appearances, achieving the milestone at the age of 18 years and 280 days.[27]
Style of play
Bouaddi is a versatile midfielder known for his composure under pressure, accurate passing, and confidence in carrying the ball.[28] Primarily a holding midfielder, he is capable of dictating play from deep and can also play at right-back.[29]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 17 September 2026[2]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lille B | 2023–24 | Championnat National 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Lille | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 9[d] | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 10[e] | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
| Total | 63 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 96 | 0 | ||
| Manchester City | 2026–27 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | 68 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 103 | 0 | ||
- Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 2026 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 9 | 0 | |
Notes
- Arabic: أيوب بوعدي, Berber languages: ⴰⵢⵢⵓⴱ ⴱⵓⵄⴰⴷⴷⵉ