FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Morocco striker Salaheddine Bassir views the World Cup as an opportunity to become an international star following a disappointing 1998 African Nations Cup.

The 25-year-old from Spanish club Deportivo la Coruna was injured in a tough opening pool game against Zambia and took no further part in the tournament. It was a bitter blow for a Moroccan expected to be among the front runners in a leading scorer race won by veteran Egyptian Hossam Hassan and unknown South African Benni McCarthy. Bassir is fit again and carries the hopes of a football-obsessed nation desperate to do well following losses to Belgium, Saudi Arabia and Holland in the previous World Cup.

Born in Casablanca, Bassir opted for Raja over local rivals Wydad and helped the Green Devils win the national championship in 1995 when he was voted Footballer of the Year. The lure of the petro-dollars took Bassir to crack Saudi club Al-Hilal, where he collected Asian Cup-winners Cup and Super Cup winners medals during a successful one-year contract. European scouts soon took notice and after being linked with French club Rennes, he joined national team captain Noureddine Naybet in the northern Spanish city of Coruna.

Bassir was joint leading scorer in the qualifers for the Nations Cup and scored a vital goal in Ghana that secured Morocco a crucial point en route to France.