Soufiane Rahimi

Soufiane Rahimi came off the bench to break Haiti's resistance in the 2026 World Cup Group c clash on 24 June 2026, scoring in the 62nd minute to give Morocco the lead at 3-2 and adding an assist as the Atlas Lions sealed a 4-2 victory. His intervention arrived when Morocco, who had trailed twice, needed a moment of quality, and Rahimi delivered it with the clinical finishing that has defined his career.

Born in Casablanca on 2 June 1996, Rahimi is 30 years old and plays for Al Ain in the UAE Pro League. He is best known internationally for his performances at the 2023-24 AFC Champions League, where he finished as top scorer with 13 goals as Al Ain claimed the title. At the 2024 Paris Olympics he was one of Morocco's three overage players, won a bronze medal and again claimed the top scorer award. He has scored 12 goals in 37 caps for Morocco and recorded 15 goals in 23 club appearances in the 2025-26 season before the World Cup.

Rahimi occupies a contested role in Moroccan football: a proven performer in Asian and Olympic competition who has occasionally faced questions about whether his UAE-based career keeps him away from Europe's elite. His World Cup goal against Haiti adds a senior major-tournament strike to a record that was, until now, built largely outside the European mainstream.