A Natural Goal Scorer Competing with Veterans El Kaabi and En-Nesyri... Who Is Hamza Igaman?

Moroccan Hamza Igaman had to play professionally abroad to secure his call-up to his national team and compete with veterans Ayoub El Kaabi and Youssef En-Nesyri for a starting spot in the heart of the attack.

Igaman, 23 years old, followed the same path as El Kaabi and En-Nesyri, who secured their places in the "Atlas Lions" lineup through playing professionally abroad after starting their football careers locally—the former with Renaissance de Casablanca and later standing out with Greek club Olympiacos, and the latter at the Mohammed VI Academy before shining notably with Sevilla in Spain.

Igaman made a name for himself at the Royal Army Club, which brought him from Widad Temara, where he was discovered in the working-class neighborhoods of Temara, a city near the capital Rabat, and included him in two youth categories.

He scored 13 goals in 47 matches over three seasons, the first of which was with the reserve team where he played only seven matches in the first division at age eighteen without scoring.

However, he netted six times in 18 matches during the 2022-2023 season, then seven goals in the 2023-2024 season, which opened the door for his professional move to Scottish club Rangers for five seasons at a fee of three million euros. He spent only one season there and was outstanding, scoring 12 goals in 33 league matches with one assist.

He also scored four goals with one assist in 10 matches in the UEFA Europa League, helping the team reach the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Spanish club Athletic Bilbao.

He won the awards for Best Young Player and Best Goal in the Scottish Premiership.

He joined French club Lille to replace their international Canadian top scorer Jonathan David and has lived up to expectations so far, being the team's top scorer in the league with five goals and one assist in 13 matches as both starter and substitute (435 minutes). He also scored four goals with one assist in the UEFA Europa League.

His coach Bruno Génésio praised him, saying: "He has distinctive technical skills. He possesses the necessary skill, and his dynamism allows him to show his best when he enters the game."

Igaman quickly established himself in the "Atlas Lions" lineup, proving he is not just a fleeting talent. He was first called up in March for the matches against Niger and Tanzania, coming on as a substitute in the first match, which Morocco won 2-1 in the city of Oujda.

He waited until last September to score his first international goal in his second international match against Niger (5-1) during the inauguration of Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in the capital Rabat, where he had previously shined with his former club Royal Army before moving to Scotland.

He came on as a substitute for El Kaabi and scored three minutes after entering, then assisted Azeddine Ounahi and celebrated at the end as the "Atlas Lions" qualified for the World Cup.

He scored his second goal in his third international match and first as a starter four days later against host Zambia (2-0) in Ndola with a wonderful shot from outside the box, solidifying his place within coach Walid Regragui’s system.

"A Great Future with the National Team"

After the win over Zambia, Regragui confirmed that Igaman did not disappoint his trust, saying: "When you give Hamza the jersey, he responds. He has great talent, works hard, listens, and gains confidence little by little. I hope he stays at this level. He has a great future with the national team and also with his club."

He added: "...When he came for the first time, he did not play, then he gradually started to enter, and this is what we do with all new players because wearing the national jersey is not easy."

He continued: "He showed remarkable talent and high technical abilities and started gaining confidence gradually despite the limited minutes he has played so far with the senior national team."

He explained that the policy he follows, based on giving gradual playing time to new players, has started to bear fruit, noting that Igaman successfully embodies this approach.

Regragui expressed his satisfaction with the strong competition within the national team, especially in the striker position: "This healthy competition serves the interest of the national team because it pushes every player to give their best to secure their place in the official lineup, which positively reflects on the overall performance of the group."

Igaman possesses multiple technical skills and is proficient playing on the wings. He combines physical strength and technical ability, allowing him to hold the ball, play with his back to goal, and participate in building attacks.

His playing style is also characterized by dribbling skills, the ability to shoot from long distances, and a tendency to provide assists.

He is also described as a player similar to Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário, with strong instincts and strong mental flexibility, qualities that stand out through his performance in difficult situations.

Igaman, who was inspired in his youth by strikers such as Ivorian Didier Drogba and French Olivier Giroud—his current teammate at Lille who replaces him as a substitute this season—did not withhold appreciation from Moroccan fans and thanked them for their support, urging them to trust the national team and encourage it to win its second title in history.