Yassine Bounou made his 100th senior international appearance for Morocco on Friday, November 13, 2026, and marked the occasion with an important penalty save during the Atlas Lions’ 5–1 victory over Niger in Casablanca.
The Al Hilal goalkeeper became only the third player to reach 100 appearances for Morocco’s men’s national team, joining Noureddine Naybet and Achraf Hakimi.
According to figures reported by Morocco’s MAP news agency, Naybet leads the country’s all-time appearance list with 115 caps, followed by Hakimi on 104 and Bounou on 100 following Friday’s match.
The milestone places the 35-year-old among the most experienced players in Moroccan international football.
Bounou Saves Niger Penalty at 2–1
Bounou’s 100th appearance included one of the decisive moments of Morocco’s victory.
The Atlas Lions were leading 2–0 through goals from Yassir Zabiri and Hakimi when Mohamed Abdouramane reduced Niger’s deficit in the 41st minute.
Niger then had an opportunity to equalise after Noussair Mazraoui was penalised for handball inside the area.
Youssouf Oumarou stepped up to take the penalty in the 45th minute, but Bounou saved his attempt to preserve Morocco’s one-goal advantage.
Hakimi scored again from a free kick in first-half stoppage time, giving Morocco a 3–1 lead at the interval.
The sequence proved important. Instead of entering half-time level at 2–2, Morocco retained the advantage and restored their two-goal cushion before the break.
Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub Oufkir subsequently added goals in the second half as Morocco completed a 5–1 victory over Niger.
A Century of International Appearances
Bounou’s milestone reflects more than a decade of involvement with Morocco’s national team.
The goalkeeper was part of the Atlas Lions side that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. His performances, including his role in Morocco’s penalty-shootout victory over Spain, helped establish him as a central figure in the national team’s defence.
His experience has remained important as Morocco’s squad has evolved under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
Friday’s appearance takes Bounou into a small group of players whose international careers have reached three figures.
The milestone also strengthens his position in Morocco’s all-time appearance records, alongside Naybet and Hakimi.
While his longevity is significant, the penalty save against Niger provided a direct contribution to the result on the night he reached 100 caps.
The experienced goalkeeper remains part of a Morocco squad combining established internationals with newer selections, including Ayoub Oufkir, who scored his first senior goal against Niger.
Bounou and his teammates return to action on November 17 when Morocco face Niger again in Rabat.
The Atlas Lions have taken nine points from their first three 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
For further career details, see the Yassine Bounou player profile.
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