Ismael Saibari: Who is the Bayern Munich and Morocco attacking midfielder?
Power. Technique. Goals. Bayern Munich's new signing Ismael Saibari has it all. Get to know the Morocco midfielder below...
Stats correct as of 1 July 2026
Ismael Saibari
Age: 25 (born 28 January 2001)
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: Attacking midfielder
Country: Morocco (34 caps, 12 goals)
Key stats
Saibari joins Bayern after a remarkable six-year rise at PSV Eindhoven. The 6'1" midfielder progressed from PSV Jong in the Dutch second tier to become an indispensable first-team star, culminating in the 2026 Eredivisie Player of the Year award. He helped PSV win three consecutive league titles between 2023 and 2026, delivering double-digit combined goals and assists in each campaign.
Saibari's club form has carried onto the international stage. The Spain-born, Belgium-raised dynamo scored his 10th goal for Morocco in the Atlas Lions' FIFA World Cup 2026-opening draw with Brazil; a goal which he supplemented the following two outings as his 11th and 12th career international strikes helped Morocco to victories over Scotland and Haiti, respetively.
The 25-year-old, who has signed a five-year deal with Germany's record champions, also converted the winning penalty in a shootout with the Netherlands to help his side into the last 16.
Plays a bit like: Jude Bellingham
Like Bellingham – the former Borussia Dortmund and current Real Madrid and England star – Saibari offers a rare blend of attacking drive, physical power and technical quality.
The Moroccan excels at carrying the ball through midfield, using his athleticism, dribbling and strength to break lines and make late runs into the penalty area to take or create scoring chances. He is also versatile enough to operate as a box-to-box midfielder, advanced playmaker or even a false nine.
Did you know?
Saibari wears the No.34 shirt at club level as a tribute to Abdelhak 'Appie' Nouri, the former Ajax midfielder whose career was tragically cut short after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a summer friendly against Werder Bremen in 2017, resulting in severe brain damage.
What they're saying
"[Saibari] is versatile, plays with high intensity and is bold in his play. He has exactly the hunger we want to see at Bayern, and his goal-scoring ability and mentality will be a great asset to the team. Players like him are the reason fans come to the stadium." - Bayern head sporting director Christoph Freund
"Ismael is a special person and a special player. It's a pleasure to work with him. He always gets into scoring positions, which is a great quality of his. Now he's combining that with high efficiency." - PSV head coach Peter Bosz
"I know Saibari well - he's disciplined and never late when he's with us. He's a pro. He shows up for meetings, trains hard and is one of those players who sacrifices a lot." - former Morocco head coach Walid Regragui
