The Moroccan international Yassir Zabeery is steadily making waves in the Spanish football league, showcasing a remarkable start with Racing Santander. His performance not only highlights his competitiveness among the top scorers but also reflects his enduring dream of donning the jersey of FC Barcelona. This past Saturday, Zabeery netted the winning goal against Espanyol, securing a 2-1 victory for his team just six minutes before the final whistle, thereby elevating his tally to eight goals this season.
This impressive form comes a year after Zabeery contributed significantly to the Moroccan youth national team’s triumph in the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Chile, after which he continued his professional journey across European fields.
Yassir Zabeery: From Marrakech to European Stardom
Born and raised in Marrakech, Yassir Zabeery's football journey began at the Mohammed VI Football Academy. He joined the academy in Marrakech at the tender age of seven, eventually relocating to its main facility in Salé five years later. Mahmoud El-Sebki, one of the academy supervisors, noted that Zabeery joined the institution before turning thirteen, a remarkable milestone showing the talent he exhibited from the very beginning. He was distinguished by his high technical abilities and excellent coordination, along with an innate instinct for finishing attacks, whether through half-volley or volley shots.
Moreover, Nasser Larguet, the former director of the Mohammed VI Academy, emphasized the crucial role of Zabeery's family environment in shaping his character, highlighting his father's dedication to instilling values of respect and hard work. Larguet remarked that during Zabeery's time at the Marrakech center, he was a cheerful boy who enjoyed playing football and was receptive to his coaches' advice.
The U-20 World Cup Opens Doors to Fame for Zabeery
In the summer of 2024, Zabeery took a significant step forward by moving to Europe, joining the Portuguese club Famalicão, marking a new chapter in his professional career. His prominence surged in October 2025 during the U-20 World Cup held in Chile, where the Moroccan team clinched the title with Zabeery scoring five goals in the tournament. His standout moment came in the final against Argentina, where he led the “Atlas Cubs” to a 2-0 victory, netting both goals under the guidance of the current Moroccan national team coach, Mohamed Wabi. Following the final, he famously remarked, “We devoured them” in response to what he described as provocations from Argentine players, capturing the spirit of Morocco's victory in that decisive match.
Reflecting on this, Larguet recalled his interaction with Zabeery in Chile during the tournament while he was serving as the technical director for the Saudi Football Federation, reminiscing how Zabeery's father had sent him a picture of them together when Zabeery was only eight years old.
After his stellar performance in the U-20 World Cup, Zabeery attracted interest from several European clubs and subsequently signed with French club Rennes in February 2026. However, his time with the team did not yield the expected success. Larguet linked this phase to Zabeery's ambition to reach a top European club, such as FC Barcelona, emphasizing the necessity of choosing a team that aligns with a striker's playing style.
Larguet further explained that Zabeery needed to assess the competition level within the team and his potential to secure a place in the starting lineup, considering the presence of other strikers whose characteristics matched the coach's strategy. Rennes had Esteban Lopo, who was included in the French national team by Zinedine Zidane, whose playing style was seen as more suitable for the French team. Larguet suggested that Zabeery might have begun to lose patience during that period, prompting Rennes coach, Franck Haze, to facilitate his transition to a more conducive environment for his development.
Now, Zabeery’s journey has brought him to Racing Santander in Spain, where he is on loan until the end of the current season. Here, he has quickly demonstrated his scoring abilities, netting eight goals in the first ten matches of the Spanish league, confirming his successful adaptation to his new team. He even scored against FC Barcelona at Camp Nou during their sixth match, despite Racing Santander losing 7-2.
El-Sebki believes that Zabeery's rapid integration into the Spanish league has significantly contributed to his current form, pointing out that the technical training provided by the Mohammed VI Academy equips players with high technical skills suitable for both the Spanish and Portuguese leagues. These leagues place greater emphasis on technical aspects rather than physical strength, which allows players like Zabeery to showcase their abilities effectively.
Moreover, Zabeery's dream of playing for FC Barcelona is not a newfound aspiration sparked by his recent success in the Spanish league; it has been a long-standing ambition since his early training days at the Mohammed VI Academy. Approximately a year ago, the Moroccan forward revealed in an interview with beIN Sports that he attended a Barcelona match during the era of the attacking trio consisting of Brazilian Neymar, Argentine Lionel Messi, and Uruguayan Luis Suárez. However, he emphasized the importance of focusing on his current team. El-Sebki noted that Zabeery consistently expressed his desire to play for Barcelona during individual meetings with academy coaches to discuss players' goals and ambitions.
Larguet also believes that achieving this dream is possible but requires extensive effort and a realistic evaluation of Zabeery's level compared to the stars of the Catalan team's attack. He advised Zabeery to study the playing style of Barcelona’s forwards, their interplay with midfielders, their movements on the field, and their ability to reach the goal and score.
As Yassir Zabeery continues to shine with Racing Santander while aspiring to wear the Barcelona jersey, he is building a promising professional career in Spanish football, leveraging his previous experiences in Portugal and France, and the remarkable achievement he accomplished with the Moroccan youth national team at the World Cup in Chile.
As reported by attasiaa.com.
