Top News

Supporters who are not very familiar with Morocco’s national football team might have wondered during the recent fixture why their goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, had ‘Bono’ printed on the back of his shirt.

Some fans may have assumed it was a tribute to the iconic U2 frontman, but the story actually dates back to Bounou’s playing days in Spain.

The Moroccan goalkeeper, who has now added an Africa Cup of Nations title to his career following an unusual court verdict earlier this year, first gained international acclaim at the 2022 World Cup for his outstanding performances against Portugal.

Bounou, affectionately known as ‘Bono’, does not wear the name as a nod to the Irish singer. Instead, the nickname originated purely from the pronunciation of his surname, which sounds similar to that of the U2 vocalist.

The 35-year-old goalkeeper, who became a national hero during Morocco’s 2022 World Cup campaign, denied Cristiano Ronaldo’s stoppage-time effort to send his team to the semi-finals. In the previous round, he had also been Morocco’s hero in the penalty shoot-out win over Spain.

It remains unclear when exactly Bounou began using ‘Bono’ on his kit, but it is widely believed to have started during his spell in Spain.

Over the course of his club career in Spain, Bounou represented Real Zaragoza, Girona, and Sevilla, amassing a total of 214 appearances across those teams. He is thought to have first adopted the ‘Bono’ name while playing for Real Zaragoza, as he did not use it during his senior debut with Wydad Casablanca.

Between his stints with those clubs, Bounou was also part of the Atletico Madrid setup, although he never made a first-team appearance for the La Liga side.

Earlier this year, an unusual situation unfolded at the Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal initially lifted the trophy after defeating Morocco 1-0 in the final, but a subsequent court ruling awarded the title to Morocco. The court found that Senegal had unknowingly forfeited the match due to a procedural error that occurred before their winning goal in injury time.

As a result, Yassine Bounou became the first goalkeeper in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations final to concede a losing goal yet still be declared champion. The controversy stemmed from Senegal’s players walking off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a penalty late in regular time — a decision that ultimately led to the retrospective ruling in Morocco’s favour.

With 90 caps for his national side, Bounou remains one of Morocco’s most decorated and recognisable football figures. His calm presence between the posts and his distinctive shirt name ‘Bono’ continue to make him stand out both on and off the pitch.