The world has long waited for the face off between star strikers Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the France-Norway clash, but that may not happen, at least initially. As per L’Equipe and ESPN, Norway manager Stale Solbakken is set to rest up to 10 starters in today’s game, including Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and forward Alexander Sorloth. This is because Norway have already qualified for the knockout stage, and this is the final chance to give the star players some rest. 

The decision by the Kano State Government to appoint a new management board for Kano Pillars, while moving Ahmed Musa to the role of Sports Ambassador, has raised many questions among football followers in Nigeria.

While every government has the right to make appointments it believes will improve sports administration, many will wonder whether this was the right time to remove Ahmed Musa from a leadership position at Kano Pillars.

From available information, Musa himself may not have expected the decision. Less than 24 hours before the announcement, the former Super Eagles captain was reportedly meeting with important stakeholders and taking decisions ahead of the new Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. This suggests that he believed he was still very much involved in the club’s leadership and future plans.

It is true that Kano Pillars did not enjoy their best season under Musa’s leadership. The club struggled to compete consistently and fell short of the high expectations of their supporters. However, one difficult season does not necessarily mean that a project has failed.

In many ways, there were signs that Kano Pillars could have improved significantly in the coming season. Ahmed Musa’s involvement brought national attention to the club and the NPFL because of his status as one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers. His presence attracted media coverage, increased interest from supporters and sponsors, and helped promote the Nigerian league.

For the first time in years, many football fans outside Kano paid closer attention to Kano Pillars because of Musa’s role at the club. This was an important benefit that cannot easily be measured by league position alone.

At the time of writing, Ahmed Musa has not publicly reacted to the announcement. However, there are indications that he was surprised by the decision. There have also been rumours suggesting that political considerations may have played a role in the restructuring, although there has been no official confirmation of this.

The Kano State Government has expressed confidence that the new management board will restore the glory of Kano Pillars and improve sports administration in the state. The new board deserves the opportunity to prove itself.

However, many football followers will continue to ask whether removing Ahmed Musa from a direct leadership role was necessary at a time when preparations for the new season were already underway.

Perhaps only time will tell whether this decision was the right one. But one thing is certain: Ahmed Musa’s contribution to Kano Pillars and Nigerian football remains significant, and many supporters will feel that his leadership project deserved more time.

The FIFA World Cup is every footballer’s biggest dream. For Jose Mourinho, however, it has created a rather unusual dilemma. While millions of fans are hoping to see their favourite stars go all the way, the new Real Madrid manager is quietly rooting for the exact opposite. With pre-season around the corner and several of his biggest names still chasing World Cup glory, Mourinho admits he would rather see them return to Madrid than lift football’s most coveted trophy.

Mourinho’s brutally honest confession has quickly gone viral, offering a rare glimpse into the club-versus-country balancing act every elite manager faces.

Speaking on the Beast Mode On podcast with former England striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, Mourinho was asked what he was looking forward to most at the World Cup.

His response left Akinfenwa laughing.

“You want the truth? I want Real Madrid players to lose and go on holiday. Because I want the guys back in pre-season,” Mourinho said.

Behind the joke lies a genuine concern.

Real Madrid begin pre-season on July 13, six days before the World Cup final. Any player who reaches the latter stages of the tournament is expected to receive an extended break before reporting back, reducing their preparation time ahead of the new campaign.That scenario is becoming increasingly likely.

Arda Guler is currently the only Real Madrid player whose World Cup journey has ended after Turkiye’s group-stage exit. The club’s remaining internationals have either already booked their place in the Round of 32 or are strongly favoured to get there.

Real Madrid are one of the best-represented clubs at the World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Vinicius Junior and Endrick (Brazil), Antonio Rudiger (Germany), Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Brahim Diaz (Morocco) and David Alaba (Austria) all still in contention.

Mourinho also outlined the qualities he expects from his players ahead of the new season.

“A great player must be the complete package: technically gifted, physically and mentally strong, and capable of playing as part of a team. Sometimes you have many like that in your squad and it is paradise – other times you have fewer and the work becomes much harder”, The Portugese coach said.

Despite the excitement surrounding the tournament, Mourinho admitted he hasn’t been captivated by much of the football so far.

“Some of the matches, after 10 minutes, I switch off. I don’t like the feeling,” he said.

The Portuguese coach believes the expanded tournament has produced too many one-sided contests.

“For me, the World Cup is the top of the top. Scores like 7-1 and 5-1 should not be possible,” he said.

However, Mourinho expects the competition to truly come alive once the knockout rounds begin.

“I think I am going to start watching properly from the knockout stages. Brazil-Morocco was a great game. Other games, I had some nice dinners and some nice sleeps. I didn’t stay awake at 3 AM to watch the matches. No chance!” he joked.

Featured Video Of The Day

Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash

From the moment the Minnesota Vikings terminated general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January, many fans have wondered about Ryan Grigson’s fate, the man who filled the role of senior vice president of player personnel for a few years and assistant general manager in 2025. As of Wednesday, the verdict is in — Minnesota will not retain Grigson, and in fact, he’s now a member of the Cleveland Browns’ front office.

Grigson’s run in Minnesota lasted about as long as Adofo-Mensah’s.

Vikings’ Front Office Shakeup Now Has Its Missing Verdict

Grigson Out in MIN, Latches Back on to CLE

The Athletic‘s Devon Henderson and Michael Silver wrote Wednesday, “Ryan Grigson is leaving the Minnesota Vikings to become a senior football adviser to Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday.”

“Grigson, an assistant general manager under since-departed Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last season, was given an opportunity to remain with Minnesota in a different role. Instead, he opted to return to Cleveland, the source said on the condition of anonymity because they hadn’t been authorized to speak publicly on the matter.”

Often, when things would go bad in Minnesota, some would point the finger at Grigson — sometimes without any real evidence.

Henderson and Silver added, “Grigson worked as senior football adviser for the Browns from 2020 to 2021 and senior personnel executive in 2017. Most notably, Grigson was the GM of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2016 — an era of transition in which the franchise cut ties with Peyton Manning and drafted quarterback Andrew Luck in 2012 with the No. 1 pick.”

“For part of Grigson’s time with the Colts, Berry reported to him.”

The Boogeyman for Some Fans

Here’s a little secret: the bulk of Vikings fans don’t like Grigson. Anytime something went wrong in the last four years, if Adofo-Mensah wasn’t ripe for blame, fans would use Grigson as the scapegoat. In fact, he felt like a boogeyman, though folks could never exactly pinpoint his sins.

For example, if a Vikings draft class bent bad — that happened a lot under Adofo-Mensah — folks would grumble about Grigson, suggesting his influence contributed to the debacle.

So, when reporting emerged on Wednesday that he was no longer a part of the Vikings’ front office, most social media users commended the departure.

Grigson’s Track Record

Grigson’s career presents a mixed record. In Indianapolis, he achieved success, notably by drafting Andrew Luck and contributing to three 11-win teams, earning him Executive of the Year honors. However, his tenure also included missteps such as the Trent Richardson trade, a struggling offensive line, and questionable draft picks like Bjoern Werner and Phillip Dorsett, ultimately leading to a depleted roster around Luck.

Despite those shortcomings, Grigson has maintained a presence in NFL front offices, holding personnel roles with the Seahawks, Browns, and Vikings after leaving the Colts. Joining the Vikings in 2022, he quickly advanced to the senior vice president of player personnel and then assistant general manager roles. In these capacities, he was deeply involved in all aspects of the Adofo-Mensah era, including free agency, draft preparation, and roster evaluation.

Grigson is undeniably a football lifer, but his track record demonstrates he is not a flawless personnel strategist, as evidenced by Minnesota’s recent draft performance.

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz noted Wednesday, “Because of his reputation from his time with the Colts and the general struggles of the Adofo-Mensah regime in the draft, it’s fair to say Grigson was not a popular figure among Vikings fans, even if fans have no insight into the specific roles and contributions of specific non-GM front office executives.”

“Minnesota’s new AGMs under Teasley are Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner. Healy, who will be the No. 2 football executive for the Vikings, comes from an analytics background with Cleveland. Kirchner is a more traditional scouting and personnel executive who is following Teasley from Seattle.”

Teasley Means Business

The overall takeaway? It’s a new era in Minnesota. Adofo-Mensah is obviously gone, and if Grigson was truly his main lieutenant, they ended up leaving as a package deal — it just took five months for Grigson to follow suit.

Teasley has already used the last few weeks to bring in “his guys,” a normal behavior for new leaders in power.

It’s also worth noting that Adofo-Mensah and Grigson orchestrated the J.J. McCarthy draft pick in 2024. If Minnesota has an off-ramp planned for McCarthy now that Kyler Murray is in tow, all it has to do is point to its actions — getting rid of Adofo-Mensah and Grigson — as a symbol that they were responsible.

Vikings training camp gets underway in about a month.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

India’s men’s hockey team will look to climb to seventh in the FIH Pro League standings when it faces Pakistan in its penultimate match of the season at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London on Friday.

The contest comes just four days after India edged Pakistan 4-3 in a thrilling encounter and less than 24 hours after Craig Fulton’s side suffered a shootout defeat against England following a 2-2 draw in regulation time. With only two matches left in the campaign, both teams will be eager to end the season on a positive note.

India seek greater control

India have shown plenty of attacking intent during the London leg, but defensive lapses have prevented them from converting promising performances into victories. Against England, Dilpreet Singh scored twice to help India recover for a 2-2 draw before the hosts claimed the bonus point in the shootout. Earlier this week, Pakistan punished India’s penalty-corner defence by scoring all three of their goals from set-pieces despite ending up on the losing side.

Fulton will demand a more disciplined defensive display while expecting experienced players Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad to dictate possession and ease the pressure on the backline. Another victory over Pakistan would not only boost confidence ahead of the final match against England but also lift India above Spain into seventh place with 17 points.

Pakistan seek first points after encouraging displays

Pakistan’s position at the bottom of the Pro League standings does not fully reflect the competitiveness they have shown in recent matches. Despite losing all 14 games, they pushed India all the way in their previous meeting and have repeatedly troubled opponents through swift counterattacks and well-executed penalty corners.

More than just three points

Although neither side is in contention for the Pro League title, the fixture carries significance beyond the standings. Pakistan have already been condemned to relegation to the Nations Cup next season after their winless campaign, making this encounter an opportunity to restore pride and finish strongly.

For India, the match provides another chance to fine-tune combinations, test tactical adjustments, and tighten defensive organisation before attention turns to the Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games later this year. A victory would also improve India’s position in the Pro League standings by moving them above Spain into seventh place.

For Pakistan, another competitive display against one of the world’s leading teams would offer encouragement despite a difficult campaign and provide momentum heading into the next phase of the team’s rebuilding process.

FIH Pro League 2026: Results of all India matches

FIH Pro League 2026: Results of all Pakistan matches

FIH Pro League 2026: Points table

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in hockey

• 
  Total matches: 183
• 
  India won: 71
• 
  Pakistan won: 83
• 
  Draws: 28

FIH Pro League 2026: India vs Pakistan full squads

India squad for FIH Pro League 2026: Suraj Karkera, Pawan, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Amandeep Lakra, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Rajinder Singh, Manmeet Singh, Rosan Kujur, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Aditya Arjun Lalage

Pakistan squad for FIH Pro League 2026: Abdul Manan, Abdul Rehman, Abdullah Muhammad, Afraz, Ahmad Arbaz, Ali Basharat, Ali Ghazanfar, Ali Mubashar, Ammad Muhammad, Bashir Usama, Butt Ammad, Hammadudin Muhammad, Hayat Zikriya, Khan Abdullah Ishtiaq, Khan Sufyan, Liaqat Arshad, Mahmood Abu, Manzoor Junaid, Nadeem Ahmad, Nadeem Khan, Rana Waheed Ashraf, Rana Waleed, Raza Ali, Shahid Hannan, Shakeel Moin, Umair Sattar, Ur-Rehman Muneeb, Waqar

FIH Pro League 2026: India vs Pakistan live streaming and telecast details

When will the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 be played?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be played on Friday, June 26.

What will be the venue for the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be played at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London.

What time will the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 begin?

The India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will kick off at 10.30 pm IST.

Where to watch the live telecast of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 in India?

The live telecast of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be available on the Star Sports Network in India.

Where to watch the live streaming of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 in India?

The live streaming of the India vs Pakistan match in the FIH Pro League 2026 will be available on the JioHotstar app and website in India.

If we learned anything from this week’s NBA draft, it’s that this is not a good time to be unemployed.

Remember when free agency was a pot of gold at the end of the NBA rainbow? A draft class for the ages and a salary cap well past its expiration date have conspired to change that.

The genesis of this problem can be traced to the mutual “we were the winners” response by both the players and the owners in the NBA’s last collective bargaining agreement.

The star players got what they wanted – a rapidly escalating maximum-contract figure that allowed 14 players to earn more than $50 million last season and another 31 to pocket $35 million or more.

Meanwhile, the owners were able to slow inflation in the salary cap, which hasn’t come close to matching the increase in salaries.

The result: Remember all those teams accused of tanking? Well, 29 of them ended the 2025-26 season over the cap, and the one that didn’t – the Nets – barely snuck under it.

Owners don’t like being north of the NBA’s assigned budget because it comes at an additional cost. The loophole-less taxes married to the dreaded second apron are even more painful.

The outlook for the upcoming season is more of the same – higher prices for gas, but no additional disposable income with which to afford an electric car.

Suffice it to say, player agents are going to earn their money this summer. Or probably more likely, they’re going to get fired by free agents who were promised riches but will have to crawl back to their 2026 employer, begging that they re-sign a guy they were hoping to see walk so the team could pocket the savings.

Salary raises? More like pay cuts.

Now let’s mix in the draft results.

You start with four bad teams – the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls – who might otherwise throw big bucks at overpriced former stars, which desperate franchises are renowned for doing.

Instead, they were able to latch onto four potential superstar players, which helps point them to the future rather than a win-now free agent.

That said, it’s hard to find any team that wasn’t happy with its draft result, whether it was landing a real nice prospect at pretty much any point of the first round, or trading out of the guaranteed contract for some nice second-round sleepers without taking a salary-cap hit.

So now reality sets in: Happy owners don’t go Christmas shopping in July.

If anybody stands to benefit from the penny-pinching off-season, it’s a college graduate with aspirations of being an NBA general manager someday. It’s going to be that kind of summer, where the smartest teams find a way to get better despite seemingly having no money to do so.

Script a gameplan and earn yourself a job. You know, like the guy who just earned the right to trade Giannis — Jon Horst.

It no doubt would start with the three most important letters of the NBA alphabet these days: TPE.

It’s why the Nets and Grizzlies were able to get big-name players for peanuts. Only these peanuts are macadamias — blank checks for the total amount of the Julius Randle and Isaiah Stewart contracts, available to use on free agency for Timberwolves and Pistons teams that would ordinarily not have any money to spend.

Sign-and-trades figure to be big as well. At this point, it appears like the only way LeBron James can get out of Los Angeles, presuming he wants a serious shot at another title.

But now that the Spurs have bulked up with Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., do they really need to sacrifice some of their precious young talent to get Victor Wembanyama a 40-something bodyguard?

Do the Warriors, having added a plug-and-play power forward in Yaxel Lendeborg, still have an interest in LeBron, short of the Lakers taking Kristaps Porzingis in a sign-and-trade?

Pity Porzingis, Jalen Duren, James Harden and Zach LaVine, let alone Peyton Watson, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Walker Kessler.

Take down those “For Sale” signs. They’re likely staying home.

Or can you say mid-level exception?

Don’t blink or you might miss UFC Fight Night’s main event. Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres, two thrilling strikers in the action-packed lightweight division, collide on Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Fiziev (13-5) might be the best pure Muay Thai striker in the division. He’s shown flashes of elite potential, but has struggled to fulfill it. His back is against the wall after a 1-4 stretch, which includes two losses to current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Fiziev has newfound inspiration after witnessing Gaethje, whom many thought would never win the undisputed title when he overcame Ilia Topuria.

“I wanted him to win. I’m totally with him, but I didn’t completely believe he’d win…” Fiziev told CBS Sports’ Brian Campbell. “When I saw the damage on Ilia’s face, I thought, ‘Wow!’ I was screaming at home in front of the TV. I’m very happy for him. It’s motivated me because I fought him twice in Fight of the Nights.”

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

Torres (17-3) has one speed and one speed only. Every fight, except one, has ended in Round 1. The two-pronged finisher broke into the lightweight rankings with knockouts over Drew Dober and Grant Dawson. Now, he’s circling one of the division’s most fearsome but seemingly compromised strikers.

“Truthfully, I think Rafael Fiziev hasn’t seen my game really because I finish my fights within the first couple of minutes,” Torres told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I’m coming in with my plan and my pace, and I will impose myself.

“I’m always prepared to fight for five rounds, but it’s part of my strategy to win in the first round.”

UFC’s return to Baku has an interesting co-main event. Shara “Bullet” Magomedov has been nearly perfect inside the Octagon. He aims to reaffirm that against Michel Pereira, the explosive but inconsistent middleweight madman. Other notable names on the card include ranked flyweights Asu Almabayev and Charles Johnson fighting each other, plus Ikram Aliserkov and Abus Magomedov in separate bouts.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date: June 27 | Start time: 12 p.m. ET (Main card) | 9 a.m. ET (Prelims)
Location: National Gymnastics Arena — Baku, Azerbaijan
Stream: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres: Nothing raises alarms more than a first-round fighter. Torres is tremendously powerful, no doubt, but he’s not the most refined striker. That cost him against Ignacio Bahamondes, a fighter whom Fiziev beat cleanly. Fiziev’s combination of patience, striking finesse and experience will reward him the longer this fight goes. It’s probable that Torres tires out and gets caught slacking if this fight makes it past Round 1. Fiziev’s health is a bigger concern for me than his losses. He gave Gaethje two tough fights, lost to Mateusz Gamrot by knee injury and got starched by a phenomenally talented Mauricio Ruffy. Durability issues in mind, I think the 33-year-old has enough juice to outwork someone like Torres. Pick: Fiziev via KO, Round 3 

Two-time Commonwealth Games champion Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will lead India’s weightlifting team at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which begins on July 23 in Glasgow.Mirabai, who has won three Commonwealth Games medals — two gold and one silver — will compete in the women’s 48kg category.She will be joined by Bindyarani Devi in the women’s 58kg category and Harjinder Kaur in the women’s 69kg category. Both lifters won silver medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.In the men’s team, Lovepreet Singh, who won bronze in Birmingham in 2022, will compete in the +110kg category. The squad also includes Commonwealth Games debutants Rishikanta Singh (60kg), Ajaya Babu (79kg) and Dilbag Singh (94kg).The weightlifting competition will be held from July 26 to 30 at SEC Armadillo.The Indian team will leave for Birmingham on Sunday for a conditioning camp before travelling to Glasgow on July 23.India has enjoyed strong results in weightlifting at recent Commonwealth Games. The country finished on top of the weightlifting medal table in both 2018 and 2022.India won nine medals, including five gold, at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. At the 2022 Birmingham Games, the team won 10 medals, including three gold. India team:Women: Mirabai Chanu (48kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg), Bindyarani Devi (58kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Sanjana (77kg), Martina Devi (+86kg).Men: Rishikanta Singh (60kg), M Raja (65kg), Ajaya Babu (79kg), Dilabg Singh (94kg), Lovepreet Singh (+110kg).

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke knew exactly what to expect from Ismael Saibari.

“He’s fast, he’s powerful and he showed against Brazil that he knows how to take chances,” he told reporters ahead of the World Cup Group C meeting between Scotland and Morocco in Boston last week.

A week earlier, Saibari had put the Atlas Lions ahead against Brazil with a brilliant chip over goalkeeper, Alisson. Scotland were warned but it didn’t make any difference as, less than two minutes into the game, Saibari again raced clear of the defense and fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

A few days later, Saibari was on the scoresheet again when he stroked Achraf Hakimi’scutback into the net against Haiti. It was his 12th goal for Morocco in his 33nd international appearance, and it made him the first African player to score in all three group stage games at a World Cup.

Ismael Saibari: from Eindhoven to Munich

In the round of 32 on Monday night, Saibari will again lead the line for Morocco against a country with which he has an intimate relationship: the Netherlands, where he has scored 42 goals in 142 appearances for PSV Eindhoven since 2020.

Advertisement

Last season, he was voted player of the season in the Dutch top-flight, the Eredivisie, after scoring 15 league goals as PSV won a 27th league title.

He also scored three goals in last season’s Champions League, including a long-range strike against Bayern Munich in January. PSV would go on to lose 1-2 but Saibari had caught the attention of Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany who, according to German newspaper SportBild, immediately made contact the player.

Sports Life – Football Powerhouse Morrocco

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

A few months later and the German champions have reportedly already agreed to pay PSV up to €55 million ($62.85 million) for the 25-year-old, beating off interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

Advertisement

Saibari is set to undergo a medical while still at the World Cup, where is he demonstrating his abilities to a global audience – but who is Saibari the person?

Saibari: three nationalities, five languages

Born in Terrassa, near Barcelona, to Moroccan parents, the young Ismael moved to Belgium aged six as his mum and dad looked to start anew following the 2007 financial crash.

It was in Willebroek, in between Brussels and Antwerp, that the young footballer learned Flemish, French and English in addition to Arabic and Spanish, and obtained Belgian citizenship in addition to that of Morocco and Spain.

The regular changes of scenery have made Saibari an important cultural and linguistic conduit in the dressing rooms of the various clubs he has played for.

Advertisement

“I’ve moved around a lot in my life, so I know how hard it is to adapt to new surroundings,” he told Dutch football magazine Voetbal International. “So, if I can help, I try to. I have the experience and I speak a lot of languages. I often function as an interpreter in meetings because I can speak to the younger players in their mother tongue.”

“He is very sociable – sometimes too sociable,” said PSV head coach Peter Bosz. “Even when he should be relaxing, he’s visiting friends. Because he’s just very friendly.”

Morocco: Saibari’s ‘choice from the heart’

Before joining PSV Eindhoven in 2020, he represented several Belgian clubs at youth level including Anderlecht and Genk. However, despite an approach from former Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez to play for the Diables Rouges (Red Devils) in 2022, there was only ever one choice for Saibari internationally.

“When such a big name in football contacts you, it was incredible,” he told Dutch newspaper Eindhovens Dagsblad. “But I let him know that I was choosing Morocco. When it comes to the national team, I had to make a choice from the heart rather than a sporting decision.”

Saibari made his debut for the Atlas Lions in September 2023 in a friendly against Burkina Faso and scored his first goals a year later in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho.

Advertisement

He started every game of Morocco’s AFCON campaign on home soil earlier this year and scored in the quarter-final win over Cameroon (2-0) – but he played a rather less laudable role in the controversy which engulfed the final against Senegal.

Disciplinary issues

Following a tempestuous evening in Rabat, Saibari was suspended for three games and fined $100,000 for unsporting conduct after trying to prevent a ballboy from giving Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy his towel in the pouring rain.

AFCON 2025 Final: Is the real winner Senegal or Morocco?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

“When I got home, I saw how bad it looked,” he admitted afterwards when asked by PSV Eindhoven’s club media about the incident. “I immediately sent someone from Senegal to apologize for me. And then when I saw Mendy at the airport, I just apologized to his face. There were a lot of emotions, I’d never experienced so many emotions, so it was just the heat of the moment.”

Advertisement

It wasn’t the first faux-pas in Saibari’s career. As a youth player with Belgian side Anderlecht, he was removed from the first-team squad one day before the start of the 2015-16 season due to being overweight. He called the club’s handling of the matter “disgusting” at the time but later admitted that he had been lazy in his preparations and called the incident one of the biggest disappointments of his career to date.

And last year, he was left out of the Eindhoven squad for a Champions League game away at Arsenal for disciplinary reasons after turning up late for a team meeting. “Everyone is allowed to come late once in a while,” said head coach Bosz. “But this wasn’t the first time. Or even the fifth. I’d had enough.”

Bayern Munich: How will Saibari fit in?

Saibari won’t be able to afford such complacency in Germany, but Bayern coach Kompany – a fellow Belgian polyglot – has proven himself adept at managing young players.

Advertisement

In Munich, Saibari will be an immediate replacement for – and upgrade on – Senegalese back-up striker Nicolas Jackson, who has returned to parent club Chelsea. But even if he won’t necessarily dislodge Harry Kane from the central striking role, Saibari’s flexibility means he will also provide competition for fellow forwards Jamal Musiala, Lennart Karl, Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise.

Until then, though, the focus remains on the Atlas Lions and Monday’s last-32 meeting with the Netherlands in Monterrey, Mexico.

“I think he understands that the priority is currently Morocco,” said national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi – another Belgian-Moroccan who was a youth coach at Anderlecht during Saibari’s time in Brussels, and who knows Kompany “very well.”

“But we’re going to be very proud [of Saibari’s move to Bayern]. We want the best Moroccan players to play for the best clubs.”

Saibari himself said after scoring the only goal of the game against Scotland that it was a “childhood dream to play at the World Cup” with his country, adding: “I think we can go quite far.”

Advertisement

Edited by: Matt Pearson