Ismael Saibari was substituted in the first half of the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Morocco and Canada in Houston on Saturday.
The 25-year-old forward went down in the 21st minute after what appeared to be a muscle injury and eventually had to be replaced by Soufiane Rahimi.
The Spanish-born forward was the brightest attacking talent on display for the Atlas Lions this edition, scoring three goals in the first four games.
The forced withdrawal is a blow to Mohamed Ouahbi’s team, who want to advance to the quarter-finals for the second edition in a row.
However, Rahimi is a more than capable replacement. He scored thirteen times for the national team in 41 international matches, including once in the group stage against Haiti.
Saibari recently made the switch from PSV to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
Published on July 4, 2026
