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Egyptian and Arab goalkeeping legend Essam El-Hadary presented Morocco’s Yassin Bounou with a historic certificate after confirming that the Atlas Lions’ Den defender has become the best Arab goalkeeper in history following his emphatic performances for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.
El-Hadary’s comments followed Bono’s remarkable performances in the matches between the Netherlands and Canada, in which he went on to play a key role in the Atlas Lions’ journey to the World Cup quarter-finals.
“I take my hat off to Yasin Bounu. He is world class and a great goalkeeper and he should get the credit he deserves. He’s not just half the team, he represents 85% of it, with respect to all the players. He is a goalkeeper who deserves credit.”
He added: “I have always said that I am the greatest goalkeeper of the Arab world, but now I say it clearly. no, Yasin Bounu is the best Arab goalkeeper in history.”
The accolade came after Bono led Morocco to a Round of 16 win over the Netherlands, where he shone throughout the match before scoring Crescencio Somerville’s crucial penalty to give the Atlas Lions a huge advantage in the penalty shoot-out that saw them qualify for the quarter-finals.
The Saudi Al Hilal goalkeeper continued his brilliance against Canada in the next round when he saved a number of dangerous moments early on and helped keep a clean sheet in the 3-0 win, once again confirming his status as one of the most notable stars of the current edition of the World Cup.
Al-Hadari’s words reflect the magnitude of the position Bono has reached after he continued to put in exceptional performances on football’s biggest stages, earning him recognition as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Arab football history, a position he now deserves at the top of the all-time list.
