Yasmin Mrabet turns twenty-seven on Saturday.
On the same day, she can qualify for her second World Cup.
Morocco face South Africa in Rabat. The winners will advance to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals and secure a direct place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Mrabet was born in Madrid on 8 August 1999. She was a Spain under-19 international and won the 2018 European Championship with them, then chose Morocco in 2021, making her senior debut on 30 November as a starter in a friendly against Senegal.
Seven months later she scored the most important goal of her career.
On 13 July 2022, in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Botswana, she got the winner in a 2-1 that took Morocco to their first World Cup. No side from North Africa or the Arab world had managed it before.
A year later she played at that World Cup.
She stayed when Valencia were relegated
In Spain, she is known above all for what she did when her club went down.
Mrabet joined Valencia in the summer of 2024. In May 2025, the club suffered the first relegation in their history after sixteen consecutive seasons in the top flight.
The defender decided to stay.
She renewed her contract until 2027 and became one of four captains alongside Pauleta, Marina Martí and Sara Tamarit.
“This was not the time to leave. We have an objective to achieve,” she explained when announcing her decision to remain.
Valencia returned to Liga F a year later.
Mrabet produced one of the defining images of their promotion campaign. She scored from around forty metres in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Alba Fundación, a match Valencia won 4-3 after playing for more than half an hour with ten players.
One assist and a penalty saved twice
Mrabet experienced both sides of the tournament within eight days.
She set up the first goal in Morocco’s opening 4-0 victory over Kenya.
Against Senegal, she had the chance to win the match.
Morocco were awarded a penalty in the 69th minute and Adji Ndiaye saved Mrabet’s attempt. A retake was ordered and the Senegal goalkeeper stopped it again.
Mrabet was substituted three minutes later and the match finished 0-0.
She had also faced Senegal at the previous WAFCON. On that occasion, she converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to give Morocco a 1-0 victory that secured their place in the knockout stage.
This time, the miss did not prevent the hosts from finishing top of Group A.
Morocco collected seven points, scored five goals and did not concede.
Mrabet’s 27th birthday and Morocco’s quarter-final fall on the same day in Rabat. Victory would allow her to celebrate with a place at the 2027 World Cup.
