In Nancy, we believed strongly, very strongly, in Morocco’s victory in the final of the African Cup of Nations. Especially considering the performances delivered since the start of the competition by the new little prodigy of the Atlas Lions, Neil El Aynaoui. The 25-year-old midfielder, trained at AS Nancy Lorraine, has established himself as a driving force in the Moroccan selection, which he only joined last September.
“He was equal to himself in this final. In his slaughter on the field, his grinta, his projection… He really hasn’t been idle,” testifies his best friend Jalil Moustaïd. Even after his injury to the arch during a duel with the Senegalese El Hadji Diouf in the 65th minute, the Nancy returned to the fight. “This shows that he has made himself indispensable. The image was scary. He held on for the end of the match, even though he was stunned,” adds Jalil Moustaïd.
The city of Nancy had set up a broadcast of the final on a giant screen. In a room almost entirely committed to the Moroccan cause, many fans of Neil El Aynaoui also hoped for the final feat. “Frankly, it’s too bad for him. But he gave everything for his country. He won in this 11 in record time. He has a great career ahead of him,” reacts Mohamed, a “fan from the start” of young Neil.
“Already at AS Nancy Lorraine, we saw that he was above the rest, but now, it’s obvious. This is the centerpiece that was missing in Morocco. To think that he was still playing in Nationale 3 five years ago. It’s crazy! »
His best friend in the international spotlight during a historic home final, Jalil Moustaïd, also of Moroccan origin, did not miss a beat in front of the screen. “We are three days apart, he was born on July 2, and I on June 29, 2001. We experienced everything together. I arrived at AS Nancy Lorraine at 8 years old, and he at 9 years old. We then spent four years together at the training center. And he managed to be captain of his National team at the age of 21,” explains the man who today plays in Nationale 2, with the Thionville-Lusitanos club.
Neil El Aynaoui, son of the former national tennis star in the 2000s, Younès El Aynaoui, has just completed his first international competition there at the dawn of his 25th birthday. And made an impression, by starting all the matches as a starter, and without going out for a single minute. “Neil has naturally become a key element of the Moroccan coach because he runs a lot, he harasses the carrier a lot and has a big VMA, he has always been above the rest in that regard,” analyzes Jalil, the childhood friend.
“We wonder where he will stop”
His former trainer at AS Nancy Lorraine, Nicolas Florentin, approves. “He was one of the boys who already had good skills in terms of motor skills and coordination. He had long strides. He was the first U15 that I did not play in U16 but directly in U17 national,” recalls the director of the Nancy training center, proud of his former student.
“He hasn’t finished moving forward, we wonder where he will stop. He is someone who copes well with the workload and who gains in aggressiveness, whether in attack or defense. He only expresses his potential,” continues Nicolas Florentin. “Plus, he’s a very, very simple person. Recently, he sent me a photo where we were together in U12. He doesn’t forget anything and moves forward with this state of mind. His career is inspiring for our young people. The image he reflects is essential in our eyes, we see all the humility that reigns in him, with his values of work and generosity. Here, everyone supports our old little thistle (nickname given to Nancy players)! », affirms Nicolas Florentin.
“He really gained momentum in this CAN, but I’m not surprised by his performance. At first, he was a little stressed during the first matches. It’s normal, it’s his first international competition. But with the craze in Africa, we know what it is, it’s always more… Playing with Morocco in Morocco, it obviously gave him confidence and strength,” continues Jalil Moustaïd.
“He has made a name for himself, by winning as the competition progresses, he will inevitably be much more observed by his opponents in the future, which means that he has really taken on another dimension,” rejoices the childhood friend, despite the final defeat. “I’ll leave him alone for a bit. Time for the frustration to subside. But, frankly, for his first competition, what he did was already really good. He was very good during this CAN,” concludes Jalil Moustaïd. “He will come back even stronger,” assure his supporters in the room.
