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Noussair Mazraoui substituted during World Cup opener against Brazil, raising concerns for crypto-linked athlete
The Manchester United defender and Wahed fintech partner was taken off during Morocco's opening match, just days after recovering from a partial shoulder dislocation
Noussair Mazraoui, the Manchester United defender who doubles as a strategic partner in Islamic fintech platform Wahed, was substituted during Morocco’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match against Brazil at MetLife Stadium on June 13.
A shoulder that keeps making headlines
During a friendly against Norway on June 8, the defender suffered a partial shoulder dislocation that forced him off the pitch in the 29th minute. Despite that setback, Mazraoui was cleared to start against Brazil just five days later.
Mazraoui had been named to Morocco’s 26-man World Cup squad on May 26.
Why crypto markets are paying attention
On March 25, 2026, Mazraoui was announced as a shareholder and strategic partner of Wahed, a prominent Islamic fintech platform. He’s a shareholder, meaning his financial interests are directly tied to the platform’s performance.
Digital collectible cards featuring Mazraoui are actively traded on the Sorare platform, where athlete performance directly influences card valuations. A player getting pulled from matches can ripple through these secondary markets in real time.