Neil El Aynaoui
Neil El Aynaoui has had a full season by any measure. Across all club competitions this season, the 185 cm central midfielder has made 59 appearances and contributed 10 goals and 3 assists — a workload that underlines just how central he has become at club level.
At Roma
Since joining AS Roma, El Aynaoui has featured regularly in Serie A (25 appearances, 1 goal, 2 assists) and in the UEFA Europa League (9 appearances, 1 goal). Those are solid numbers for a midfielder settling into one of Serie A's more demanding environments, and the consistent minutes suggest the coaching staff trusts him in both domestic and continental competition.
With Morocco
For the national team, the shirt number 24 has made 8 appearances this season — 7 of them coming in the Africa Cup of Nations and 1 in a friendly. He has yet to open his scoring account for Morocco this season, but his role appears to be one of structure and availability rather than end-product. Getting regular minutes at this level, at just 24 years old, is itself a statement of intent ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
Born on 2 July 2001 in Nancy, El Aynaoui represents the profile of player Morocco has been leaning on: young, club-hardened, and capable of sustaining a heavy schedule across a long season. With a World Cup cycle now firmly in focus, seasons like this one — high on minutes, consistent in contribution — are exactly what builds the foundation for a tournament run.