Ibrahim Rabbaj continues to make a mockery of his age group, with the 17-year-old Chelsea playmaker being named Man of the Match following a dominant display for Morocco against Tunisia.
Ibrahim Rabbaj’s trajectory at Chelsea has got people talking. After joining from Crystal Palace at the Under-12 level, the 17-year-old quickly earned the nickname the Moroccan Messi due to his extraordinary flair and high-volume output; unofficial academy stats once credited him with a staggering 112 goal contributions in a single season.
Chelsea moved decisively to secure Rabbaj’s future, offering him a first professional contract until 2028 amid heavy interest from rival European giants. This season, he has seamlessly transitioned into the Under-18 and Under-19 squads, notably scoring in the UEFA Youth League against Barcelona and recording a hat-trick against Leicester.
While his 1.66m frame remains a talking point, he’s showing there’s more to football than height.
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Ibrahim Rabbaj puts in Man of the Match display for Morocco U-17s
Popular X account RisingStarXI, Ibrahim Rabbaj (17) was named the MOTM against Tunisia today in a game for the AFCON Qualifiers, a top talent.
They also shared a video of Rabbaj going past five or six players, making comparisons to Lionel Messi.
His dribbling ability is exactly like that of Lionel Messi, which is where he gets his nickname from.
French outlet CSport had this to say about his performance.
‘*Ibrahim Rabbaj particularly distinguished himself during this match. Very active and influential in the game.*‘
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