5ASIDE: The Return Home: Ziyech and a New Chapter for African Football | beIN SPORTS USA - video Dailymotion

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00:00Speaking about Moroccan ballers, today's a very Morocco-heavy episode because we have to speak about the legendary Moroccan player,

00:06one of the most talented passers in the world, Hakim Ziyech, moving to Morocco to play for Ouida Casablanca.

00:12Casablanca is one of the most historic teams in African football.

00:16They represent an incredibly footballing city, and for Ziyech to come back to Morocco after having never really lived in Morocco

00:23because he grew up in the Netherlands is a very, very interesting story.

00:26It's not something that we see often when it comes to African players of diasporic heritage playing for teams in Africa.

00:33I mean, I'm having a tough time thinking of one right now.

00:35So what do you guys think this story represents for African football and how it's kind of rising in terms of global prominence?

00:42I think it's great because we just spoke about the rise of Pyramids FC

00:45and how the importance of the domestic leagues in these countries is going to build the overall infrastructure.

00:50Before we talked about Morocco, so we have what?

00:52The semis in 2022, they're about to host AFCON.

00:55The investment in infrastructure, the U-20 World Cup win, to now have one of your best players playing in the domestic league.

01:01That's just one more cog in the wheel for continuing to grow them as a football nation.

01:05The sky is the limit, seriously.

01:07The wizard is back and we did.

01:09You know what I mean?

01:11It's interesting to see, and I think one of the things you highlighted was more so the intention.

01:14I believe he probably even turned on offers from Europe.

01:17He's definitely a talented bowler.

01:19He's about 32 years old.

01:20He still got it in him, but there's a reason why he went back home, which technically, like you said, he didn't even grow up in.

01:26I'd say he represents someone claiming his country, too, the entire time.

01:30Not at a later stage, not being in the Dutch youth system and all that.

01:34Well, excuse me, the Dutch youth system in terms of the national team.

01:36Like, no, I'm always Morocco, period.

01:38That's huge.

01:39And I think, I mean, it's a new generation of African stars because, if we're being honest, Eto'o didn't go back to play in Cameroon.

01:45Robbo didn't go back to play in Ivory Coast.

01:47Yeah.

01:47However, it's kind of opening the door because Ziyech playing for Ouidad opens the door for Salah to go back and play in Egypt.

01:53It opens the door for Hakimi to try it out and play in Morocco.

01:56It opens the door for Oseman to go back and play in Nigeria.

01:58And what that would mean for African football, if the way that Brazilians sometimes go back and play in Brazil when they're 30,

02:04how that almost elevates Brazilian football to a certain extent.

02:07It does.

02:07When that star goes back and plays at home, more eyes turn on that football.

02:11Yeah.

02:11So if Hakimi opens the door, imagine we'll start knowing a little bit more about what's going on in African soccer.

02:15And that's a big deal.

02:15And then how dope is that for the young winger who's 18 years old in Ouidad, Casablanca?

02:19Exactly.

02:20Like when Marcelo went back to Fluminense playing with those people.

02:22Then you see how they did in the Club World Cup.

02:24And after winning Copa Libertadores, it's huge.

02:25It's huge, man.

02:26It's huge.

5ASIDE: The Return Home: Ziyech and a New Chapter for African Football | beIN SPORTS USA

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