North American Sensation Poised to Lead Morocco's AFCON Championship Charge

The Africa Cup of Nations is exclusively for member nations of the Confederation of African Football, yet Sunday's championship match between Morocco and Senegal might witness citizens from Canada, Spain, France and various other nations celebrating with the trophy. 

In an alternate reality, Morocco's keeper Yassine Bounou might have been preparing to represent Canada's men's national squad at the 2026 World Cup this summer. Instead, he will guard the goal for the Atlas Lions against Senegal in the AFCON final, pursuing his first international championship. 

Bounou, 34, was born in Montréal, Canada and had previously been approached to play for that nation—a team he defeated in the group phase at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, before Morocco's historic semifinal appearance. 

"Indeed, I was contacted by Benito Floro during his tenure as Canada's coach from 2013 to 2016. At that time, I hadn't yet earned a cap with the (Morocco) Atlas Lions," Bounou explained to Balón Parado in 2022. "My roots are in Morocco and that's where I was raised. Playing for the Atlas Lions was always my dream."

Who wins the 2026 AFCON? pic.twitter.com/Grv1r3Gi1k

Bounou resided in Montréal until age three. His father, working as an engineer and university lecturer, and mother, who had moved to North America for greater opportunities, decided to relocate back to Morocco with their young child, setting the course for his life and Atlas Lions career. 

His professional football career started in 2010 with Wydad Casablanca and has since taken him to Atlético Madrid, Girona, Real Zaragoza and Sevilla, before his move to Al Hillal in the Saudi Pro League in 2023. 

Though he never wore Canada's jersey internationally, he holds Canadian citizenship and could become among the rare North American passport holders to achieve AFCON success as a player with dual nationality options. 

Simultaneously, he's expected to return to North America later this year with the Atlas Lions as they seek another magical World Cup campaign—Scotland, Brazil and Haiti await in Group C.

Commanding Performance Throughout AFCON

Commanding Performance Throughout AFCON

Despite being in the later stages of his career, Bounou has delivered exceptional performances for Morocco throughout this tournament and aims for another brilliant display against Senegal in the title match. 

The semifinal triumph over Nigeria via penalty shootout marked Bounou's fifth clean sheet of the competition, following shutout victories against Comoros, Zambia, Tanzania and Cameroon. He now sits three clean sheets away from Essam El-Hadary's record of 14 AFCON shutouts and could move closer to that milestone against Senegal. 

"Ultimately, people will recognize that Morocco is truly a major footballing nation. However, to reach the next level, we must capture trophies, making Sunday's encounter crucial for our legacy," Morocco coach Walid Regragui stated before the match. "I believe we've earned our place in the final. We've faced elite teams like Mali, Cameroon and Nigeria, and now we'll meet another top-tier opponent."

Viewing Options for Morocco vs. Senegal AFCON Final

Viewing Options for Morocco vs. Senegal AFCON Final

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Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who delivers comprehensive coverage, having reported on North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for leading publications, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.