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Just minutes before Morocco’s national team faced Belgium during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was unexpectedly replaced by fellow keeper Munir El Mohamedi El Kajoui—a last-minute decision that left many fans puzzled.
Three years after that match, Romain Ghanem Saïss, who captained the Moroccan team during the tournament, shared the behind-the-scenes details of the sudden change during an appearance on the French podcast Le Club des 5.
«That day, Yassine came up to me and said he wasn’t feeling well, even before we stepped onto the pitch», recalled Saïss, who now plays for Al Sadd in Qatar. «He said, ‘I’m not feeling good, my head is spinning'. Right there in the corridor before we walked out».
Saïss qui raconte le cas Bono lors du Mondial
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«I told him, ‘Wait, let’s talk to the doctor.’ I asked, ‘Are you okay? Are you sure?’ And he said, ‘No, honestly, I’m not well. My head is spinning'», Saïss added.
Bounou then informed the referee that he wasn’t in condition to play. During the national anthems, he could still be seen standing next to Saïss, visibly unsteady.
«When we moved to the side, I said, ‘Call the coach and the doctor. Let them know Yassine’s not doing well.’ I thought, this is over—I had to hold him a little because he was dizzy», Saïss said.
That’s how Munir ended up in the team photo while Bounou appeared only in the pre-match anthem footage, Saïss explained.
Bounou later explained that it was a painkilling injection that caused him to miss the match, despite having lined up with the team minutes before kickoff. His disappearance initially confused commentators, who took a moment to realize he had been replaced by Munir.
