Supporters watching Morocco's World Cup 2026 campaign who are unfamiliar with the squad may have found themselves puzzled by one detail on the goalkeeper's shirt — the name on the back reads Bono, not Bounou. The explanation has nothing to do with the legendary U2 frontman, and everything to do with phonetics.

Yassine Bounou, Morocco's first-choice goalkeeper and one of the Atlas Lions' most decorated players, goes by 'Bono' because the pronunciation of his surname closely mirrors that of the Irish rock icon's stage name. The nickname is believed to have originated during his time playing club football in Spain, where it stuck and eventually made its way onto the back of his shirt.

A career forged in Spanish football

Bounou spent the most formative years of his club career in Spain, representing Real Zaragoza, Girona, and Sevilla across a combined 214 appearances. It is widely believed that the 'Bono' moniker first appeared on his shirt during his time at Real Zaragoza, as he was not sporting the nickname when he made his senior debut for Wydad Casablanca. A stint at Sevilla also featured in his career, although he did not make any competitive appearances for the Andalusian club during that period.

A goalkeeper who has made history

Now 35, Bounou has earned 90 caps for Morocco and etched his name into World Cup folklore with a standout performance in 2022. He denied a last-minute effort from Cristiano Ronaldo to help Morocco eliminate Portugal and reach the semi-finals — a historic achievement for African football.

His claim to fame stretches beyond the World Cup. Bounou became the first goalkeeper in Africa Cup of Nations final history to concede a goal in a final and still finish on the winning side. Morocco lost the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations final 1-0 to Senegal on the pitch, but a court ruling issued months later determined that Senegal had forfeited the match prior to Pape Thiaw's side scoring their decisive goal. The ruling came after Morocco were awarded a penalty in regular time and Senegal's players walked off the pitch in protest, a decision that would ultimately cost them the title.

Whether fans know him as Bounou or Bono, Morocco's goalkeeper remains one of the continent's finest — a shot-stopper whose reputation was built in Spain and sealed on the grandest stages in world football.