Morocco suffered a major setback in their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter against Canada after star forward Ismael Saibari was forced off with an apparent thigh injury less than half an hour into the match in Houston.
The Bayern Munich-bound attacker, who has been one of Africa’s standout performers at the tournament, left the field after appearing to injure his hamstring, raising concerns over his availability should the Atlas Lions progress to the quarter-finals.
Saibari’s early departure came as a significant blow to a Moroccan side hoping to continue its impressive World Cup campaign after reaching the knockout stages following victories over the Netherlands and an unbeaten run through the group phase.
The 25-year-old had established himself as Morocco’s leading attacking threat during the tournament, scoring three goals in the team’s opening four matches and playing a central role in the Atlas Lions’ bid to reach the quarter-finals for a second successive World Cup.
His withdrawal also came only days after German champions Bayern Munich confirmed his signing from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in a transfer reportedly worth €50 million (approximately $57 million).
The injury occurred during the opening stages of Morocco’s last-16 meeting with Canada at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
Saibari appeared to be in discomfort before clutching his thigh muscles as play continued.
Medical staff attended to the forward, but it quickly became apparent that he would be unable to continue.
He was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi in the 22nd minute, ending his involvement in one of Morocco’s biggest matches of the tournament.
The sight of the forward leaving the pitch will concern both Morocco and Bayern Munich, who recently secured the services of one of African football’s most highly-rated attacking players.
Key figure for Morocco
Saibari has been instrumental in Morocco’s success throughout the competition.
The forward entered the Canada match as the Atlas Lions’ leading scorer at the tournament, having found the net three times during the opening four matches.
His goals helped Morocco maintain momentum from their historic 2022 World Cup campaign, where they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals before eventually finishing fourth.
At international level, Saibari has now scored 12 goals in 35 appearances for Morocco, underlining his growing importance to the national team.
His performances at the World Cup have further enhanced his reputation, with the 25-year-old emerging as one of the tournament’s standout attacking players.
The injury comes at a pivotal moment in Saibari’s career.
Only days before Morocco’s clash with Canada, Bayern Munich officially announced the signing of the forward from PSV Eindhoven.
The reported €50 million transfer reflects the confidence the Bundesliga giants have in his ability after several impressive seasons in the Netherlands.
The move also represented another milestone for Moroccan football, with one of the Atlas Lions’ leading players joining one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Morocco entered the Canada match knowing victory would secure a place in the quarter-finals, where either France or Paraguay would await.
However, Saibari’s injury has created uncertainty over whether the forward would be available should the Atlas Lions advance.
The quarter-final is scheduled for Thursday, 9 July, leaving limited time for recovery if the injury proves significant.
