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Regarding Salah, Carvalho pointed out that he is Liverpool\u2019s key player on the pitch and stands out in the world\u2019s most competitive and valuable football league: the UK\u2019s Premier League. \u201cHe’s put up incredible numbers this season, breaking record after record, and is building his legacy at Liverpool,\u201d he said, noting that Salah basically \u201cowns\u201d 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. \u201cIn Egypt, I\u2019d also highlight [Emam] Ashour, a talented player for Al Ahly, who\u2019s won everything with the club,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s rising talent, forward Wessam Abou Ali.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. \u201cHe\u2019s a beast on the field,\u201d he says, noting that the player has already been called up to Morocco\u2019s senior national team. \u201cMorocco has many stars\u2014Brahim D\u00edaz [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 terms of players,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Morocco, Carvalho says, goes even further\u2014it has a star on the sidelines as well: national team coach Walid Regragui. \u201cHe\u2019s doing an outstanding job. I\u2019d say he\u2019s the top Arab coach. We can put it that way,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to Regragui as \u201cthe man,\u201d Carvalho emphasizes that Morocco\u2019s 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\u2019s and women\u2019s sport, and is now reaping the rewards. Such is Morocco\u2019s strength today that they have won all of their last ten matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can no longer consider Morocco a surprise. What would<\/em> surprise me is if they don\u2019t advance past the group stage or if they have an early exit from the World Cup,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u201ccounter-exodus,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCountries 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\u2019re witnessing this counter-exodus\u2014players of Arab descent are returning,\u201d he observes. One example is the Egyptian player Zizo, who could have been on a European team but chose to play in Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more<\/em>: Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong>Collective standouts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Egypt leads in race for World Cup spot<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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