Author of spectacular and decisive actions, Ayoub El Kaabi is establishing himself as one of the standout figures of the 2025 AFCON. By scoring two acrobatic goals in the Moroccan jersey, the striker is finally confirming, at the highest international level, a talent forged in effort and patience.

For some observers, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations served as a revelation. For others, the name Ayoub El Kaabi was already familiar, particularly since his notable stint in Europe, where he finished as the top scorer in the Europa Conference League with Olympiacos. African football fans, however, had discovered him much earlier, during the 2018 CHAN, which he dominated with the Moroccan national team.

Behind this meteoric rise lies an unusual story. Before becoming a feared striker on African and European pitches, Ayoub El Kaabi grew up in Derb Milla, a working-class neighborhood on the outskirts of Casablanca. Far from prestigious training centers, nothing seemed to point him toward a professional career. He left school after middle school and began working as a carpenter to help support his family.

Football, however, remained a parallel passion. He played for Racing Club Marocain, where he started out… as a left-back. Very quickly, his attacking qualities became apparent. In training as well as in matches, his eye for goal impressed, to the point of attracting the attention of first-division clubs.

Walid Regragui, now the national coach, remembers that period perfectly:

“I was the coach of FUS when he played for Racing. I wanted to recruit him, but the president of Berkane snatched him from me at the last minute. He did well: Ayoub then scored nearly 20 goals in the league and finished as the top scorer of the CHAN,” he said.

From then on, he was on a roll. El Kaabi racked up goals with RS Berkane, becoming their main attacking weapon, notably scoring 23 goals in 38 matches. Called up to the local national team, he dominated the 2018 CHAN, won by Morocco, finishing as the tournament's top scorer.

His performances then attracted the attention of Hervé Renard. In need of a number 9, the Moroccan coach called him up to the senior squad for the 2018 World Cup. In the space of a few months, El Kaabi went from amateur player to international.

In 2025, at the heart of an Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco, the circle seems to have come full circle. Ayoub El Kaabi is no longer the courageous outsider who emerged from obscurity, but a self-assured attacking leader, a symbol of success built through hard work. From the dust of construction sites to the spotlight of African football, his journey embodies one of the most inspiring stories of this AFCON.