Morocco midfielder Ayoub Bouadi has been ranked as the most experienced teenage midfielder in Europe’s top seven leagues over the past year, according to the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES).
The 18-year-old Lille player topped the CIES ranking with a score of 83%, ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s Konstantinos Kartsas and other highly rated young midfielders across Europe’s leading competitions.
Bouadi’s ranking reflects his involvement in high-level matches for both club and country, including European competition with Lille and the 2026 World Cup with Morocco.
The CIES method measures a player’s accumulated experience by combining the number of minutes played with the difficulty of the matches in which those minutes were recorded. The resulting calculation is used to assess the level of experience acquired by players.
Bouadi’s position at the top of the ranking underlines how quickly he has established himself despite still being a teenager.
His emergence has also coincided with growing interest from Manchester City, with reports indicating that the English club is prepared to meet Lille’s €100m valuation for the midfielder.
Bouadi leads Europe’s teenage midfielders
CIES placed Bouadi first among teenage midfielders in Europe’s seven leading domestic leagues, giving him an experience rating of 83%.
His ranking reflects a year in which he featured for Lille in the Champions League, Europa League and French league.
He also played an important role in Morocco’s midfield during the 2026 World Cup finals, giving him experience at one of the highest levels of international football while still only 18.
Borussia Dortmund’s Konstantinos Kartsas was second on the list with a score of 78.7%, while Barcelona youngster Marc Bernabéu occupied fourth place with 77.3%.
Porto’s Moura was also among the leading players, recording a score of 74.9%.
The CIES ranking covers players from the top seven European leagues according to the latest UEFA update. Those competitions are the English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese and Belgian leagues.
Bouadi’s combination of club and international football has therefore placed him above his teenage counterparts in terms of accumulated experience.
Manchester City interest grows
The CIES ranking comes as Bouadi’s future at Lille continues to attract attention.
Manchester City have reportedly stepped up negotiations for the Moroccan midfielder and are said to be willing to meet Lille’s €100m asking price.
If the transfer goes through at that figure, Bouadi would become the most expensive teenage player in football history.
The reported fee would more than double the current record, which is listed as €48m for Indrek’s move from Palmeiras to Real Madrid in 2021.
Other major teenage transfers include Vinicius’ €45m move to Real Madrid, Rodrigo’s €45m transfer to the same club and Gray’s €41m move to Tottenham.
A €100m deal for Bouadi would therefore represent a significant increase on the previous record.
His market value has also risen sharply following his performances for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.
Bouadi was valued at €30m last year but is now reported to have a market value of €80m, representing a 166% increase over the period.
Morocco choice adds to Bouadi’s profile
Bouadi’s international career has taken another important step since he chose Morocco over France.
The midfielder had previously represented France at several youth levels and accumulated dozens of appearances for the country’s various age-group teams.
However, he opted to represent Morocco at senior level.
He made his first appearance for the Atlas Lions in May 2026, featuring in a friendly against Burundi.
His subsequent involvement at the World Cup provided him with an opportunity to compete on the biggest international stage while still only 18.
That experience has helped enhance his reputation and contributed to the growing interest surrounding his future.
For Lille, Bouadi’s rapid development has placed the club in a strong negotiating position. Manchester City’s reported willingness to pay €100m could result in one of the biggest deals involving a teenager in football history.
For Bouadi, meanwhile, the CIES ranking offers another indication of his progress.
At 18, he has already combined regular exposure to elite European competition with international football for Morocco.
That blend of experience is precisely what has placed him at the top of CIES’ ranking of Europe’s most experienced teenage midfielders and helped make him one of the most sought-after young players in the game.
