Friday's match between Morocco and Portugal marks the first time ever that Morocco will be playing in a World Cup quarterfinal contest. The Atlas Lions have been one of the biggest surprises in Qatar and are the lone team left from Africa.
A major reason for the team's shocking run so far at the 2022 World Cup falls on the shoulders of their goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou.
Nicknamed "Bono", the 31-year-old has been sensational so far for the Atlas Lions. He grabbed the attention of fans around the world with his play in the Round of 16 match against Spain, where he did not allow Luis Enrique's squad to score a single time in the penalty shootout, resulting in Morocco's stunning upset over the European powerhouse.
Bounou plays professionally in Spain for Sevilla, but has been a part of Morocco's national teams for nearly a decade now.
However, Bounou was not born in Morocco. In fact, he originally is from Canada, as he was born in Montreal. While it may have not been a well-known fact before in the football world, fans from all over, especially Canada, are making the realization that he could have played for Canada, one of the world's up-and-coming programs.
DeCOURCY: 'Bono' becomes national hero and worldwide sensation by silencing Spain
So why does Bounou play for Morocco if he was born in Canada? Here is more information on the goalkeeper and why he plays on the Moroccan national team.
Why is Yassine Bounou playing for Morocco?
Bounou was born in Montreal to Moroccan parents. By the time he was 3, his family moved back to Morocco, settling in Casablanca. He began playing soccer with Wydad Casablanca, going through their youth program before eventually debuting with their senior club in 2011.
Since Bounou had ties to both Canada and Morocco, he had the option of choosing between the two countries to represent on the international level. He elected to go with Morocco. He first began to represent the country in 2012 with their U20 team.
Bounou made his senior national team debut with the Atlas Lions in 2013, playing in the second half of a friendly against Burkina Faso.
Can Yassine Bounou play for Canada?
Under FIFA eligibility rules, Bounou is cap tied to the Morocco team since he is over 21 years old and has played in competitive matches for Morocco. As a result, fans will never get to see a maple leaf on Bono's chest.
In an alternative timeline, there is a chance that Bounou could have suited up for Canada's national team and been their starting goalkeeper. He admitted in an interview with Spanish football show "Balon Parado" that he almost made the commitment to Canada a few years ago.
"Yes, I was actually contacted by Benito Floro when he was coaching the Canada national team," Bounou said. "I hadn’t played an international match with the Atlas Lions at the time."
Despite the discussions with Floro, who led Les Rouges from 2013 to 2016, Bounou decided to stay and play for Morocco, which was always a "dream" of his.
Yassine Bounou World Cup stats
Bounou has been sensational for Morocco on its run at the World Cup in Qatar. He played in two out of the three group games and was the backstop during Morocco's upset over Spain in the Round of 16.
The lone match he did not play in, Morocco's second group contest which came against Belgium, he was set to start and even was with the starting lineup for the national anthem, however he was switched at the last minute for the backup Munir Mohamedi.
In total, Bounou has faced just three shots on target in his three matches. The only goal that was scored against Morocco was an own goal allowed in the win over Canada.
The most impressive part of Bono's run in the World Cup was in the Round of 16 against Spain. A 0-0 draw after extra time meant penalty kicks would decide who would advance to the quarterfinals. Bounou stopped two attempts while another hit the post, and his teammates put three shots past Spain's Unai Simon to knock off one of the tournament favorites.
| Date | Stage | Opponent | Shots on Target | Saves | Goals Allowed | Own Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 23 | Group Play | Belgium | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec. 1 | Group Play | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dec. 6 | Round of 16 | Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
