Two assists and then nothing — why Morocco's star Diaz is struggling to recapture his early tournament form

Morocco have produced a World Cup campaign of the highest quality so far. Unbeaten against Brazil, Scotland, Haiti and the Netherlands, the Atlas Lions have reached the last 16, where they face Canada on Saturday.

And yet, amid that very positive collective momentum, a question is growing louder: where has Brahim Diaz gone?

A promising start — then a sudden drop

The Real Madrid man had, it must be said, launched his tournament perfectly.

A superb assist against Brazil for Ismael Saibari, then another against Scotland for the Bayern Munich new signing's early goal, and Brahim Diaz appeared to be confirming his new status as Morocco's attacking leader.

Since then, however, the performances have been far less convincing.

Against Haiti, he was entirely anonymous. He was awarded a rating of 4/10 following a display marked by repeated turnovers, poor decision-making and insufficient defensive involvement for the Haitian second goal.

The same assessment applied against the Netherlands, where he proved incapable of creating a single moment of danger and was virtually invisible throughout.

Time for redemption

This dip in form raises eyebrows, all the more so because this World Cup was also meant to be one of personal redemption.

A few months earlier, in the Africa Cup of Nations final, Brahim Diaz left a deep mark on Moroccan supporters — but for all the wrong reasons. His attempted Panenka penalty, missed against Edouard Mendy in the shootout, remains firmly in the memory. As does, apparently, the recollection of some team-mates, with rumours of tension surfacing in the aftermath.

Despite that background noise, the right-winger still enjoys the total confidence of manager Mohamed Ouahbi and the public, but expectations are enormous. A player of his talent is naturally judged more harshly when going through a difficult patch.

Ouahbi has no doubts

At a recent press conference, the Morocco manager was keen to defend his number 10.

'Brahim was the top scorer at the recent Africa Cup of Nations and plays for Real Madrid; he is a great player and will offer us a lot. We expect more from him because he is one of the best players. He provided two assists in the first two matches, and I am not blaming anyone. We will give him the support and confidence he needs so he can be effective in the next match and help us secure qualification.' — Ouahbi, speaking at a press conference after the Haiti match.

It is a statement that reflects the management's state of mind perfectly: no cause for alarm, but a clear desire to protect one of the squad's key figures.

The statistics still impress

It would, moreover, be unfair to reduce Brahim Diaz's Moroccan adventure to his last two performances.

Since committing to represent the Atlas Lions in 2024, he has posted a remarkable record: 30 matches, 25 wins, five draws and no defeats.

He has progressively become the genuine technical leader of this national team. Top scorer at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations with five goals, he remains one of Morocco's primary attacking weapons.

The task now is to rediscover his best level at the very moment the competition enters its most demanding phase. Against Canada, the Atlas Lions will need a big performance from Brahim Diaz more than ever. This could be the ideal moment to remind the world why he is considered one of the finest African players of his generation.