Zabiri's Journey from Marrakech to Barcelona Dreams: A Rising Moroccan Football Star
Marrakech•October 25, 2026•3 min read The Inspiring Rise of Moroccan Talent in Football In the vibrant city of Marrakech, Morocco, young footballer Abdelhak Zabiri has captured the hearts of many as he continues to shine in the Spanish football league, currently playing for a team positioned 12th in the rankings. A year ago, Zabiri expressed his lifelong dream of playing for FC Barcelona, stating, "I have been a true supporter of Barcelona since childhood, and I have always dreamed of playing for them.
His journey to this dream is a remarkable tale of talent, dedication, and passion. Mahmoud El Sabki, a supervisor at the academy, highlighted that Zabiri's selection before the standard age of 13 was a rare exception due to his exceptional abilities.
He had been integrated into the academy's Marrakech center at the age of seven, showcasing his impressive technical skills and movement coordination from an early age. El Sabki noted, What we observed in Zabiri was his remarkable technical potential and movement coordination.
Scoring was almost instinctive for him, especially with his half-volley and overhead shots." A Dream Realized on the Global Stage As Zabiri continued to develop, he made headlines by scoring the winning goal in a recent match against Espanyol, bringing his tally to eight goals this season. His journey took him from the local pitches of Marrakech to international fame when he represented Morocco in the U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he scored five goals and led his team to victory against Argentina in the finals.
Reflecting on this achievement, Zabiri expressed his joy, saying, "We dominated them," in reference to the Argentine players' provocations during the match. This victory not only marked a milestone in his career but also solidified his status as a rising star in the football world.
After the World Cup, European clubs began to take notice of the Moroccan talent, leading him to join Stade Rennais in February 2026. However, his time there was challenging, as he struggled to find his footing in the French league.
Nasser Larguet, the academy's former director, suggested that Zabiri's aspirations of playing for a major European club like Barcelona may have contributed to his difficulties at Rennes. He emphasized the importance of adapting his play style to fit into a team filled with established forwards.
With this insight, Zabiri was loaned to Racing Santander to continue his development and quickly made an impact, scoring eight goals in his first ten appearances in La Liga. As he reflects on his career and future aspirations, Zabiri remains focused on his dream of representing Barcelona.
"I went to watch them play during the era of the Brazilian trio Neymar, Argentine Lionel Messi, and Uruguayan Luis Suárez."