Bouaddi and Doak: Morocco x Scotland will have a jewel duel in the Brazil group
Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, dominated the midfield in the 1-1 draw between Morocco and Brazil. Ben Gannon-Doak, 20, was the most incisive name in Scotland's attacking system in the 1-0 victory over Haiti.
These two talents meet on the field at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, from 7pm (Brasília time), to compete in the second round of Group C.
Bouaddi is perhaps the young player who attracted the most attention in the first round. "If he improves his finishing, I see him at Real Madrid," said French striker Olivier Giroud, the Moroccan's teammate at Lille. According to the Spanish newspaper "Marca", the Merengue team is "following" the player.
"Right now I'm just focused on the World Cup and I can't answer that right now," Bouaddi told The Athletic's David Ornstein.
"Of course I'm very happy to know that some clubs are interested in me. But for now, I'm just focused on the World Cup with Morocco and we'll try to give our all to do our best."
The boy was born in France and became a naturalized Moroccan, his parents' nationality. After the draw with the Brazilian team, Jérôme Rothen, former PSG striker, criticized coach Didier Deschamps for not showing interest in taking the athlete to the French team.
Unlike his Moroccan contemporary, Ben Gannon-Doak already had the chance to be at one of the biggest clubs in the world, as he was signed by Liverpool when he was 16 years old, after emerging as a promise at Celtic. However, he made just nine appearances for the professional team and was loaned to Middlesbrough, before arriving at Bournemouth.
Hindered by injuries, the attacking midfielder played little at his new club. If he maintains his debut performance in other games, however, he will certainly leave the World Cup occupying a new level in the eyes of the market. "He's everything you want from a Scotland player," former Scotland captain Scott Brown told BBC One.
The young Scot has said, in more than one interview, that he is experiencing a moment of more psychological stability since he reconnected with the Catholic faith. "I pray before games, I read the Bible alone. I don't usually do that in the dressing room because there are many different religions in football", he commented.
Bouaddi and Doak will be watched by two of the most passionate fans at the World Cup. Moroccans and Scots, in fact, are enjoying the streets of Boston together - about half an hour from Foxborough - and sharing moments. Since the start of the competition, both nations have demonstrated how important sport is for their respective people.
Morocco brought its peculiar grandstand culture to the USA, as was seen in the game against Brazil. Scotland, whose fans are known as the "Tartan Army", has all the excitement of a country that was out of the World Cup for 28 years. The excitement is so great that a group of Scottish fans ran out of beer at a bar in Boston, as reported by NBC News.
Be careful for Bostonians, as the party will be even bigger if the victory against favorite Morocco comes. In this case, Scotland's place in the second phase of the World Cup will be confirmed, after all the team has three points and would reach six. Morocco has one, as does Brazil, and Haiti, the Brazilians' opponent, has zero.
Scotland x Morocco specifications
- Date: 06/19/2026 (Friday)
- Time: 7pm (Brasília time)
- Location: Boston Stadium, in the United States
- Stage: 2nd round of Group C of the World Cup
Where to watch Scotland vs Morocco
- Youtube: CazéTV
- Real time: CNN Esportes
See the ranking of the most "worn out" teams for the World Cup
Source: CNN