Ismael Saibari delivered the kick that sent Morocco off to the Round of 16 in the World Cup, though even on the sport’s biggest stage, his personal life and relationships remain largely a mystery.
Saibari scored in the fifth round of penalty kicks against the Netherlands after the teams played to a 1-1 tie through regulation and extra time. The kick sent Morocco on to face Canada in the Round of 16, while bringing attention to the PSV Eindhoven midfielder.
After Dutch star Cody Gakpo opened the scoring in the 71st minute, Morocco’s Issa Diop tied the match in the 91st minute on a cross from Chemsdine Talbi.
The game remained scoreless through the remainder of the match, with both teams taking a defensive posture in anticipation of penalty kicks. After several missed kicks from both teams, Saiban stepped up with a chance to send his team into the Round of 16 and delivered with the game-winning penalty kick.
Ismael Saibari’s Private Personal Life
Though he has been one of Morocco’s brightest stars, he has been very private about his personal life. Saibari has no known wife or girlfriend, though his family connections and background are well known.
As Andrew Gitto of The Sporting News noted, Saibari was originally born in Spain in 2001 and raised in Belgium, playing soccer in the Netherlands.
“Despite being born in Spain, Saibari plays international soccer for Morocco. He is able to play for the Moroccan team because he is of Moroccan descent,” the report noted. “Saibari’s parents are originally from Ksar El Kebir in northern Morocco, according to Morocco World News. They eventually moved to Spain during the 1990s in hopes of finding work.”
Ismael Saibari Maintains Close Ties With Brothers
While it’s not known whether Saibari has a wife or girlfriend, he has spoken about the important connections he maintains with his family. The BBN Times reported that Saiban followed in his older brother’s footsteps to start a career in soccer.
The report noted that Ismael has spoken about looking up to older brother Akram while they were growing up in Belgium, saying he got his competitive spirit from Akram.
“One of the most important influences in Ismael’s early football life was not his parents but his elder brother Akram — five years older, also born in Terrassa, also enrolled in the KVC Willebroek-Meerhof academy when the family arrived in Belgium,” the report noted. “Akram preceded Ismael through the Belgian youth football system and went on to combine a career in Belgium’s lower divisions with work as a television actor — a dual identity that reflects the creative adaptability the whole family seems to possess.”
The report added that Ismael gained his competitive advantage playing with his brother.
“Playing in the restricted urban spaces of Antwerp province — the tight futsal and five-a-side environments that are the Belgian equivalent of Brazilian street football — Ismael developed the close control, physical power, and ability to operate in compressed spaces that characterise his game at PSV,” the report noted.
Saiban and his team will take the field again on July 4, when the face the Canadian team in Houston, Texas.
Morocco’s Ismael Saibari’s Personal Life, Relationships in Spotlight After Game-Winning Kick