Dec 22 (Reuters) - - Neil El Aynaoui has always followed his heart and despite growing up in the shadow of his father Younes, a Moroccan tennis player ranked 14th in the world in 2003, Neil chose football.
That decision has brought the 24-year-old to the biggest moment of his career, his first major continental tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations, where he is proudly representing his country.
After emerging as one of Ligue 1’s brightest talents with Lens, El Aynaoui sealed a move to AS Roma in July, signing a five-year contract after two standout seasons in France, where he played 49 league matches and scored nine goals.
“I’ve always loved football more than tennis, and my father encouraged me to follow my passion,” Aynaoui told Roma’s website.
INSPIRED BY INIESTA
He wears the number eight shirt in tribute to Barcelona and Spain great Andres Iniesta.
“Since I was a kid, I adored Iniesta," Aynaoui said. "He’s my role model and inspiration. I try to match his creativity.”
Born in Nancy, France, Aynaoui came through the local academy before joining Lens in 2023. His dynamic style and versatility caught Roma’s eye, and the move to Serie A has sharpened his tactical awareness.
“It’s completely different from French football,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll score as many goals, but I’m confident I’ll help the team even without scoring. Numbers aren’t the most important thing — giving everything you have is.”
Aynaoui made his Morocco debut this year and has earned seven caps, including a start in Sunday’s win over Comoros as the hosts opened their AFCON campaign. Morocco next face Zambia and Mali, with record crowds expected after the team’s shock World Cup semi-final run in 2022.
The draw for next year's World Cup pitted Morocco against five-times world champions Brazil in their opening group game before meeting Scotland and Haiti.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “Facing Brazil at a World Cup is something I’ve wished for since childhood. Brazil have an exceptional generation and incredible individual talent. Our group is tough with Scotland and Haiti too.”
But El Aynaoui's ambition goes well beyond the group stage.
“Morocco’s historic achievement in Qatar changed how the world sees African football," he said. "After 2022, things are different. African teams can go far — we’re no longer here just to take part.”
(Reporting Ashraf Hamed Atta, editing by Ed Osmond)
