Chadi Riad's Journey to the World Cup
The talented footballer Chadi Riad, hailing from Mallorca, is set to make his mark on the grand stage of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Currently a central defender for the English club Crystal Palace, Riad has been selected to join the Moroccan national team, alongside notable La Liga players such as Ez Abde from Real Betis, Sofyan Amrabat, and Azzedine Ounahi from Girona. This selection is a significant milestone for Riad, who has faced numerous injury challenges throughout his career after showing immense promise in his earlier years.
Born on June 17, 2003, in Palma, Riad began his football journey at the Atlético Rafal youth academy before moving to Mallorca. During his formative years, he was loaned to the San Francisco club and later faced a crucial decision during his cadet stage when he opted not to renew his contract with Mallorca, attracting interest from prestigious clubs like Barcelona. Despite this shift, Riad continued to be called up for Morocco's youth national teams, showcasing his talent on various platforms.
Riad's Career Progression
After signing with FC Barcelona, Riad started his career in the youth B team, where his skills quickly earned him a loan to Sabadell in the Division of Honor for his second year. Remarkably, he became the youngest player to debut for the first team of Sabadell in the Second Division at just 17 years old. Following his stint there, he returned to Barcelona's youth squad and progressed to the Division of Honor, later playing for the Barça B team in the Primera RFEF.
Riad made his first-team debut under the guidance of Xavi Hernández during the 2022/23 season in a match against Osasuna, where he came on as a substitute in the 89th minute. In the 2023/24 season, he sought more playing time and joined Real Betis, where he excelled as one of the top defenders in La Liga, garnering interest from the Premier League. Ultimately, Crystal Palace secured his services for 15 million euros in the summer of 2024, although injuries have hindered his ability to maintain consistent performance since then. Notably, during the recent winter transfer window, Mallorca attempted to facilitate his return to Spain for more playing time, but the move did not materialize.
The Moroccan national team, led by coach Mohamed Ouahbi, aims to replicate their remarkable success from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they reached the semifinals before being eliminated by France. In the 2026 edition, Morocco will compete in Group C against formidable opponents including Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland. Among the squad, well-known players such as Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain and Brahim Díaz from Real Madrid will lead the 'Atlas Lions' into competition.
Other notable inclusions in the roster are former Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, currently with Al Hilal, and defender Nayef Aguerd of Olympique de Marseille, who previously played for Real Sociedad. However, some prominent players, including Ilias Akhomach from Rayo Vallecano and Youssef En-Nesyri of Al-Ittihad, did not make the final cut for the squad.
As reported by diariodemallorca.es.
