Rabat – Moroccan forward Yassir Zabiri has described his goal against Barcelona as the best of his career, revealing the emotional significance of scoring against the club he has supported since childhood.
The 21-year-old found the net during Racing Santander’s 7-2 defeat at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday, September 16, in the sixth round of LaLiga.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Zabiri explained why the goal meant so much to him.
“This is the best goal I have ever scored in my life. Everyone knows I have supported Barcelona since I was little,” he said, according to El Botola.
“I came here 10 years ago, in 2015. This feeling is enormous for me and my family,” he added.
The striker’s remarks reflected the personal importance of the occasion, even though Racing suffered a comprehensive defeat against Hansi Flick’s side.
Zabiri scored in the 65th minute after capitalizing on an error by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, reducing Racing’s deficit to 4-2. Barcelona subsequently added three more goals to complete their victory.
Zabiri continues impressive LaLiga start
The goal took Zabiri’s tally to six in six league appearances, extending an impressive start to his first season in Spanish football.
The Moroccan had previously scored a hat-trick against Elche and a brace against Deportivo Alavés, establishing himself as a key attacking player for Racing Santander.
His performance against Barcelona also came just a day before a significant development in his international career.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi included Zabiri in the national team squad announced on Thursday for the opening two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The striker’s progress follows his decisive contribution to Morocco’s historic triumph at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he scored both goals in the 2-0 final victory over Argentina.
He joined Racing Santander on a season-long loan from French club Stade Rennais in July, with the agreement running for one year and containing no purchase option.
Zabiri will now turn his attention to international duty, with Morocco set to host Gabon on September 25 before facing Lesotho in South Africa on September 29.
