Moroccan midfielder Brahim Diaz etched his name into football history on Saturday, becoming the first African player to register four assists in a single World Cup campaign.
Real Madrid Star Brahim Diaz Makes History with Record-Breaking World Cup Assists
The Real Madrid playmaker achieved the milestone during Morocco’s dominant 3-0 victory over Canada in the Round of 16 at Houston Stadium.
The match remained scoreless after a challenging first 45 minutes for the North Africans.
🌍🇲🇦 Brahim Diaz makes history as African player with most assists in a single World Cup campaign.
4 assists in 5 games, currently second behind Olise at this World Cup. pic.twitter.com/9AgEhhwN6d
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2026
However, Morocco transformed their performance after the break, with Azzedine Ounahi breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute from a clever set-piece routine.
Díaz then took control, delivering two crucial assists that powered the Atlas Lions to victory.
In the 82nd minute, Díaz split Canada’s defence with a perfectly weighted pass to set up Ounahi’s second goal.
He then added another assist in stoppage time, providing a selfless throughball for Soufiane Rahimi to seal the comprehensive win.
The two assists elevated Diaz’s tournament tally to four, establishing a new record for African players in World Cup history.
According to football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Diaz now holds the record for the most assists by an African player in a single World Cup campaign.
Morocco’s victory also secured their place in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive World Cup, making them the first African nation to achieve this feat.
The Atlas Lions have now won four World Cup knockout matches, matching the combined total of all other African nations.
Díaz, who has contributed four assists and one goal throughout the tournament, praised his team’s resilience after the match.
“We knew we didn’t have a good first half, but we came out to put everything on the pitch,” he said.
“Sometimes in football, and in life, you have bad moments. What matters is how you lift your head and keep going”.
The 26-year-old remains focused on team success rather than individual honours.
“I’m very happy with what I’m giving and how I’m helping my teammates,” Díaz added.
“But the most important thing is what we are achieving as a team”.
Morocco will now face France in the quarter-finals in Boston on July 9. For Díaz and his teammates, the historic journey continues as they aim to build on their record-breaking campaign.
