São Paulo – Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is one of the top Arab football stars today, but he is not the only one. Zizo, also from Egypt, and Brahim Díaz, from Morocco, are other standout players at their clubs, alongside rising talents from Tunisia, Libya, and Palestine.
Asked by ANBA, football commentator for CazéTV and member of the Ponta de Lança project—featuring essays and articles on sports, culture, and politics in Africa—Marcus Carvalho highlighted some of the top Arab players today. He also discussed which national teams could stand out in the 2026 World Cup and which Arab coach is making waves with his impressive work.
Regarding Salah, Carvalho pointed out that he is Liverpool’s key player on the pitch and stands out in the world’s most competitive and valuable football league: the UK’s Premier League. “He’s put up incredible numbers this season, breaking record after record, and is building his legacy at Liverpool,” he said, noting that Salah basically “owns” the club due to his leadership on the field. Midfielder Zizo is also a standout among Egyptian players, according to Carvalho, being one of the key players for Zamalek, one of the top clubs in North Africa. “In Egypt, I’d also highlight [Emam] Ashour, a talented player for Al Ahly, who’s won everything with the club,” he added.
Carvalho highlights Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri from Tunisia and Libyan defender Ali Youssef, who stands out not only for his defensive skills but also for his attacking strength. Among Saudi players, he mentions midfielders Mohammed Kanno and Salem Al-Dawsari, both playing for Al Hilal and the national team. He also points to Palestine’s rising talent, forward Wessam Abou Ali.
According to the commentator, Morocco currently boasts the most outstanding individual talents with the ball at their feet. One of them is Bilal Nadir, a midfielder for Olympique de Marseille. “He’s a beast on the field,” he says, noting that the player has already been called up to Morocco’s senior national team. “Morocco has many stars—Brahim Díaz [attacking midfielder for Real Madrid], Hakimi [right-back for Paris Saint-Germain], and El Kaabi, who was a sensation in the European season, winning the UEFA Conference League with Olympiakos. I think Morocco has the best squad in of players,” he adds.
Morocco, Carvalho says, goes even further—it has a star on the sidelines as well: national team coach Walid Regragui. “He’s doing an outstanding job. I’d say he’s the top Arab coach. We can put it that way,” he says.
Referring to Regragui as “the man,” Carvalho emphasizes that Morocco’s emergence as a nation with top players, a great coach, and a strong national team is no coincidence. The country has been investing in football from the youth levels, both in men’s and women’s sport, and is now reaping the rewards. Such is Morocco’s strength today that they have won all of their last ten matches.
“We can no longer consider Morocco a surprise. What would surprise me is if they don’t advance past the group stage or if they have an early exit from the World Cup,” he says about their prospects. He also adds that if there is one Arab team with the potential to reach a final in a future edition of the tournament, it is Morocco.
Collective standouts
Whether in or out of the World Cup, Libya and Sudan have shown solid collective performances, according to Carvalho. Meanwhile, Egypt and Morocco emerge as the strongest Arab national teams, while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are still developing, as their footballing traditions are relatively new.
Beyond their performance on the field, however, Carvalho sees a political aspect in the development of players, and consequently, national teams. He calls it the “counter-exodus,” referring to the return of Arab players, whether by birth or ancestry, to their countries of origin after the end of conflicts and political deadlocks.
“Countries affected by wars, poor living conditions, and recent independence have lost the parents of these players, who move to Europe or other places. These players then identify with other countries, are born and raised in those cultures, and start playing for different national teams. But now, we’re witnessing this counter-exodus—players of Arab descent are returning,” he observes. One example is the Egyptian player Zizo, who could have been on a European team but chose to play in Egypt.
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