La Liga: Yassir Zabiri, U20 World Champion with Morocco, Reaches 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 thus brings his total to eight goals in ten league matches, according to Africafoot, which described the goal as having "sealed" the comeback. Hespress, citing AFP, gives the same tally and places the strike six minutes from the end of regulation time.
Eight goals in ten matchdays for a promoted side fighting for survival: the statistic places the Moroccan in the company of Europe's most renowned marksmen. Hespress describes him as "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), handing Morocco the first world title in its history in this category, under the leadership of head 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 platforms.
From Portugal to Cantabria
Trained in Morocco, Zabiri joined 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 deal. Several European clubs had shown interest following his World Cup campaign.
The player makes no secret of his ambitions. He says he admires Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez, and dreams of FC Barcelona—a goal he himself describes as far off, according to Hespress. He notably scored on matchday six at the Camp Nou, where his team suffered a 7-2 defeat.
An Overflowing Moroccan Generation
Zabiri's journey reflects a broader trend: through its academies and diaspora, Morocco has built a talent pipeline that no longer relies on chance scouting. The 2025 U20 world champions are now arriving in major leagues, and some are making an immediate impact.
Racing Santander continues its La Liga campaign. The next squad announcement from the senior national team coach will reveal whether these eight goals are enough to earn the striker a starting spot with the Atlas Lions.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
