When the referee awarded Real Madrid C. F. a late penalty in their FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ opener against Al Hilal, Los Blancos had to put off celebrating for the moment. Beneath the Saudi side’s crossbar, indeed, was a goalkeeper who has proven his worth in high-stakes situations plenty of times before.
Of course, the Spanish know that all too well. Three years ago, Yassine Bounou saved two penalties in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ last-16 clash between Spain and Morocco, helping the Atlas Lions reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
He was at it again in Miami, rekindling Spanish nightmares by denying Federico Valverde from the spot. Bounou’s heroics earned his side a historic point against a true global giant, and reaffirmed his status as one of world football’s most decisive stoppers.
Bounou’s journey began in the youth ranks of Wydad AC. He soared through the club’s age groups and eventually was promoted to the senior team, where he became first-choice goalkeeper.
The ambitious youngster then joined Atlético de Madrid. It was a move that spoke to his determination to achieve his dreams, but those aspirations ran into an immovable object named Jan Oblak. The Slovenian’s brilliance in the Rojiblancos net left Bounou to seek opportunity elsewhere, through loan spells at Zaragoza, Girona and Sevilla.
It was in Andalusia where the shot-stopper went to another level. He became the first African to to win the Zamora Trophy as La Liga’s best goalkeeper in the 2021-22 season. A year later, he saved two penalties in the shootout of the UEFA Europa League final to help his side to a seventh crown in Budapest.
Arguably the defining tournament of Bounou’s career so far, though, was Qatar 2022. Following the win over Spain – in which he became the first Arab goalkeeper to save multiple penalties in a global finals shootout – Morocco downed Portugal in the last eight to make history as the first African side to contest a World Cup semi-final.
His heroics made him a finalist for The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award. Then, at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, he became the first African goalkeeper to save a penalty – and to make it truly momentous, it came in stoppage time against Real Madrid.
“Penalties are a mix of instinct and luck,” he told FIFA after the match. “Today, I had to be successful. Sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes they don’t. That’s the nature of football.”
“We played smart, pressed when needed, and created plenty of chances. We suffered physically, and so did Real Madrid. We made several substitutions 20 minutes before the end. Technically, we were excellent, and I’m happy about that.”
Bounou, who faced Real some ten times in La Liga, was full of praise for the opposition. “They’re a team with new ideas, but it’s not easy for a new manager to come in and change everything in a week. I think Real Madrid played well, and I think they’ll get even better under Xabi Alonso, because he’s a great coach.”
Al Hilal went toe-to-toe with Real in their Group H opener, and will look for more Bounou magic when they face FC Salzburg next time out.
