La Liga: Yassir Zabiri, U20 World Champion with Morocco, has scored eight goals in ten matchdays

Yassir Zabiri scored the winning goal for Racing Santander against Espanyol (2-1) on Saturday, October 24, 2026, during the tenth matchday of La Liga. The Moroccan international striker has now brought his total to eight goals in ten league matches, according to Africafoot, which described the goal as one that "sealed" the comeback. Hespress, citing AFP, provides the same count and places the goal six minutes before the end of regulation time.

Eight goals in ten matchdays for a newly promoted team fighting to stay in the league: the statistic places the Moroccan in the company of Europe's most renowned marksmen. Hespress describes him as being "close" to the league's top scorers, including Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, without providing a precise ranking.

The boy from the Santiago final

The name is not new to the African public. In 2025, in Chile, Zabiri scored a brace in the U20 World Cup final against Argentina (2-0), giving Morocco the first world title in its history in this category, under the guidance of coach Mohamed Ouahbi. He finished the tournament with five goals. His post-match phrase, "Akalnahoum" — "we ate them" — went viral across the continent's social media.

From Portugal to Cantabria

Trained in Morocco, Zabiri joined the Portuguese club Famalicão in 2024, then Stade Rennais in February 2026, before being loaned to Racing Santander, reports Hespress. Africafoot mentions a one-year loan. Several European clubs had expressed interest following his World Cup performance.

The player does not hide where he is looking. He says he admires Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez, and dreams of FC Barcelona, a goal he himself describes as distant, still according to Hespress. He actually scored during the sixth matchday at the Camp Nou, where his team was defeated 7-2.

A Moroccan generation that is overflowing

Zabiri's journey says something broader: Morocco has built, through its training centers and its diaspora, a talent pool that no longer depends on the luck of scouting. The 2025 U20 world champions are now arriving in the major leagues, and some are making an immediate impact.

Racing Santander continues its season in La Liga. The next squad list from the senior national team coach will reveal if these eight goals are enough to make the striker a starter for the Atlas Lions.