Ayyoub Bouaddi arrived on the world stage last week with a performance so commanding that even seasoned observers struggled to find a comparison — until Olivier Giroud provided one.

"I played with Kylian Mbappe when he was 18," the BBC Sport pundit said. "He was so mature for his age and I have the same feeling with Ayyoub."

Giroud is not speaking from a distance. The pair are club team-mates at Lille, and the former France striker has watched Bouaddi push himself to improve every single day in training.

A debut that surprised no one back home

Bouaddi's display against Brazil at the New York New Jersey Stadium — a 1-1 draw — was nothing short of extraordinary. He registered more touches (87) and completed more passes (60) than any other Morocco player, dribbled past opponents deep into the second half, and won nine duels. Brazil veteran Casemiro was substituted at half-time after one particularly brutal encounter with the 18-year-old.

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi called it a "masterclass." Yet in Creil, the northern French town where Bouaddi grew up, reaction was measured.

"No one is shocked here," said his former coach Sofiane Khair. "For us, it's logical."

Former Creil coach Armand Doue was equally matter-of-fact: "He does this kind of match every weekend on the pitches of Ligue 1."

Choosing Morocco over France

Bouaddi represented Les Bleus across several youth age groups, and Giroud — a World Cup winner — admitted to "teasing him the whole year regarding picking France." In the end, Bouaddi's heart pointed elsewhere.

To explain his decision, he posted an old photograph on Instagram: a 10-year-old version of himself wearing a Morocco shirt in the stands at the 2018 World Cup.

"I am aware of the privilege I have to defend these colours and I will give everything to best represent my country," he wrote.

Records, Real Madrid, and a mathematics degree

Bouaddi's career at Lille has been one milestone after another. He became the club's youngest-ever senior player when he debuted against KI just days after his 16th birthday in 2023. On his 17th birthday, the Stade Pierre-Mauroy erupted as Lille defeated Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. He then surpassed a record held by Eden Hazard by making 50 Ligue 1 appearances at the age of 18.

Off the pitch, Bouaddi is equally driven. He has been studying for a mathematics degree in his spare time and once delivered a speech at the Élysée Palace after winning an oratory competition.

His coach at Lille's academy, Mickael Delestrez, spotted the same analytical streak early on. "His reflective nature leads to him constantly questioning his game — what could he have done better or what should he have done differently?" Delestrez said. "He possesses this analytical ability that allows him to continually challenge himself."

'The only kid who did not eat burgers'

Those who knew Bouaddi as a child paint a picture of a young man unlike most of his peers. Coach Khair recalls that he had no PlayStation or Nintendo DS. When he was not playing football, he was reading or doing homework. On tournament trips, while others reached for fast food, Bouaddi abstained.

"He never had fast food," Khair said. "When we went to tournaments, he was the only kid who did not eat burgers or pizza. He's the same now as he was when he was 10."

Giroud, for his part, sees room for growth — particularly in front of goal. "He's a proper box-to-box player, but he needs to improve some things, like his finishing," the veteran striker said. Bouaddi, still searching for his first senior goal, faces Scotland next on Friday as Morocco continue their World Cup campaign.