The Moroccan goalkeeper with an Argentinian accent
Born in Canada as Yassine Bounou but recognized by her nickname, Bono chose to represent the country where his parents were from and where he moved when he was seven years old..
As a teenager, he entered the minor divisions of the Moroccan Wydad of Casablanca and remained in the team until 2012, when Atlético Madrid looked at him and hired him to defend the three sticks of the “Colchonero”.
The first seven years in the Spanish Professional League, Bono went through several clubs like Zaragoza and Girona to finally win in 2019 in Seville.
It was there that he found his best version and the one that earned him his first calls in the Moroccan team. So many years spent in the Professional Football League (LFP) have led him to master Spanish perfectly, but with one caveat: his characteristic Río de la Plata accent.
However, it’s not the goalkeeper’s only quality that makes him come across as an Argentine in his own right, rather that he’s been a River Plate fan from an early age.
It all started when his father gave him an Argentinian jersey, At this time, the young footballer began to admire the goalkeepers of the national team and it was there that he discovered Germán Burgos.
The “Monkey”, who years later will be his coach at Atlético Madrid, was his first approach to River, then came his admiration for other glories like Amadeo Carrizo or Ubaldo Matildo “El Pato” Fillol.
His fanaticism for the Millionaire is not only admiration, but he is also proud to have been one of the few supporters who could enjoy winning the Copa Libertadores against Boca Juniors in Madrid.
Bono also has a pet which he dubs club idol Núñez. “I named my dog Ariel after Burrito Ortega, I’m a fan of River“He revealed it a while ago in an interview with TyC Sports.
This Tuesday, Bono made history by keeping a clean sheet against the Spanish “Fury” and definitively imposed himself on penalties when with two memorable saves he gave Morocco the pass for the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022 World Cup.
“Amateur introvert. Pop culture trailblazer. Incurable bacon aficionado.”
