Anderlecht Duoโค Aim for Immediate First-team Impact Following U-20 World Cup Success
Brussels, belgium โข- Two recent world champions within Anderlecht’s youth system, Ali Maamar and Anas Tajaouart, are aggressivelyโค targeting starting roles in the first โฃteam following their triumph with Morocco at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The pair’s ambition signals a potential influx of young talent into the Purple & White’s lineup as the club navigates a challenging season, currently sitting third in theโข Belgian league standings.
Anderlecht has recognized a growing strength in its Neerpede academy, with midfielder Nathanโ De Catโฃ already establishing โhimself as a key player. Maamar andโค Tajaouart’s World Cup victory, under the guidanceโค of former Anderlecht youth coach Moโ Ouahbi, further underscores the potential within the club’s developmental system. Thisโ success raises the question of how quickly these promising players can translate โtheir internationalโค achievements into consistent contributions for the first team.
Maamar, competing with Sardella and Camaraโ for a midfield position, is resolute in his desire to remain with the senior squad. “I’m ready to play,” he stated in anโ interview with The last Hour.”I’m not thinking about returning to the Futures or going on loan. My ambition is to play in the first team. I have already shown great things there. I want to make it toughโ for the coach.”
Tajaouart, who has made only two appearancesโ for the first team and primarily features for the futures squad, sharesโ a similar determination. “I want to get โas many playing minutes as possible,” he said. โ”I โreally want to take the stepโ to the first team,get minutes,gain the trainer’sโ trust and -โ why not -โฃ become a manager at Anderlecht.” Heโ acknowledges comparisons โขto fellow U-23 captain Thรฉo leoni, but aims for a quicker path to regular playing time. “People sometimes โฃcompare my career with that of Thรฉo Leoni as we were both captain of the U23s, but I want to break โฃthrough โขfaster than he did.”
