The 24-year-old Moroccan midfielder Nil El Ayouni wears the number eight jersey in honor of Spanish great Andrés Iniesta, whom he considers his idol.
Growing up in the shadow of his tennis-playing father, Nil chose a different path. Instead of following in his father’s footsteps, he listened to his heart and pursued football. Now, at 24, he is playing on the biggest stage of his career—his first continental tournament. But his ambitions extend far beyond Africa; he dreams of fulfilling his childhood goal by facing Brazil at the upcoming World Cup.
Nil’s father, Younes El Ayouni, has five ATP Tour titles to his name. In 2003, at the age of 31, he reached a career-high world ranking of No. 14 in tennis.
Born in France, Nil developed as a footballer in the youth academy of French club Nice. He later graduated to the senior team, scoring 9 goals in 49 league appearances over two seasons. His talent earned him a five-year contract with Italian side Roma in July.
Speaking on Roma’s official website, Nil shared, “I’ve always loved football more than tennis, and my father encouraged me to follow my own aspirations.”
El Ayouni regards Spain and Barcelona legend Andrés Iniesta as his role model. To honor the World Cup-winning midfielder, he dons the iconic number eight jersey.
“I’ve admired Iniesta since childhood. He is my idol and inspiration. I try to match his creativity on the pitch,” he said.
This year, Nil made his debut for the Moroccan national team. He played the full match as Morocco opened their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2–0 victory over Comoros. So far, he has appeared in seven matches for the national team.
Morocco made a sensational run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In the 2026 tournament, they are grouped with five-time world champions Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.
Facing Brazil fills Nil with anticipation. “It feels like a dream come true. Since childhood, I’ve wanted to play against Brazil in the World Cup. They have an amazing generation of incredibly talented players. Our group with Scotland and Haiti is tough,” he said.
But Nil’s ambitions go beyond the group stage.
“Morocco’s historic achievement in Qatar changed the perception of African football worldwide. Since 2022, the landscape has shifted. African teams can go much further—we no longer just participate; we aim to compete.”
