On July 16, Moroccan football legend Ahmed Faras passed away at the age of 78 after a long battle with illness. With his passing, Morocco has lost one of the most iconic figures in the nation's football history. Here are five key milestones from the life and career of the late legend. The late Ahmed Faras is widely regarded as one of the greatest football talents Morocco has ever produced. His remarkable career, which spanned the 1960s and 1970s, earned him a lasting place in the hearts of football fans. As the star of Sporting Club Chabab Mohammedia and the Moroccan national team, he achieved both individual and team milestones that made him a symbol of Moroccan football. Here are five of the most unforgettable moments from his legendary career. 1. African Ballon d'Or 1975: A Historic First for Morocco In 1975, Ahmed Faras made history by becoming the first Moroccan player to win the African Ballon d'Or. The award, which recognizes the continent's best footballer, was a clear recognition of his exceptional performances with both the national team and Chabab Mohammedia. That year, Faras stood out during the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup. His goal-scoring prowess, vision, and leadership on the pitch set him apart as one of Africa's elite strikers. 2. Winning the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations : Morocco's Only Continental Title Faras played a leading role in Morocco's greatest football triumph to date, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia in 1976. To this day, it remains the only continental title won by the Atlas Lions. As team captain and top scorer, Faras was instrumental in securing Morocco's place at the top of African football. He opened the scoring against Nigeria in a 3–1 victory, netted the first goal against Egypt in a 2–1 win, and equalized in a second match against Nigeria, which Morocco ultimately won thanks to a late goal from teammate Redouane El Guezzar. 3. Morocco's All-Time Top Scorer : 36 Goals in 94 Caps Faras made his international debut in the 1965–66 season, first playing for Morocco's U23 national football team in a friendly in Algeria, and shortly after for the senior team against Switzerland. He went on to score 36 goals in 94 appearances for the national team, an all-time record that stood for decades and still places him among the country's top scorers. He leads the list ahead of Salaheddine Bassir (27 goals) and Hakim Ziyech (25 goals). He also won the Moroccan league top scorer title in 1969 and 1973, netting 16 goals each season. In the Africa Cup of Nations, he remains Morocco's all-time top scorer with six goals in 12 matches. He was top scorer in the Quneitra League in Syria with seven goals, and also led Morocco's scoring at the 1972 Munich Olympics with three goals. 4. One-Club Loyalty and Refusal to Go Professional Abroad Despite receiving offers from top European clubs, Ahmed Faras remained loyal to Chabab Mohammedia throughout his career. He spent 17 years at the club (1965–1982), scoring an impressive 232 goals in the Moroccan national championship. His loyalty was rewarded with a string of honors : the Moroccan league title in 1980, the Throne Cup in 1972 and 1975, the Moroccan Super Cup in 1975, and the Maghreb Cup Winners' Cup in 1973. 5. A Place in the Moroccan Dream Team The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) honored Ahmed Faras by including him in its Moroccan national team all-time «Dream Team». The symbolic lineup recognizes the greatest players in Moroccan football history based on their impact at both club and international levels. The lineup features Badou Ezzaki as goalkeeper; Achraf Hakimi, Medhi Benatia, Noureddine Naybet, and Abdelkarim El Hadrioui in defense; Mustapha Hadji, Abdelmajid Dolmy, Abdelaziz Bouderbala, and Mohamed Timoumi in midfield; and Ahmed Faras partnered in attack with the legendary Larbi Benbarek.
