Ayoube Amaimouni #21

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Undoubtedly the biggest surprise in the squad, Amaimouni has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the last few months. Born in Catalonia to Moroccan parents, Amaimouni moved to Germany aged 10. His family settled in Dortmund and he trained at the German federation’s facilities. After stints in Germany’s fifth tier, he was recruited by Hoffenheim, where he helped the under-23 team earn promotion. This season, Amaimouni continued his scoring form, attracting interest from Frankfurt and a €200,000 January move. A pure winger with a wand of a left foot, there have been comparisons to Lionel Messi, especially for a kid who grew up an hour’s drive from Barcelona. “I actually prefer Real Madrid and am a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo,” he told Hessenchau.de in April. “But my footballing idol is Neymar. He's a street footballer and, like me, likes to try things out.” One idol that he might face in his first World Cup game.

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