Yassir Zabiri has scored five goals in five matches for Racing Santander and collected two player-of-the-match awards, making a striking start to life in Spain after a difficult first spell in France.
The 21-year-old Morocco striker, on loan from Rennes, scored twice as Santander came from behind to beat Alaves 2-1. He levelled the match in the 38th minute before striking again in the 53rd minute to complete the turnaround.
It was the latest in a remarkable run for Zabiri, who scored a hat-trick against Elche in his first start in Liga only two weeks earlier. His latest performance gave him five goals in as many matches and a second player-of-the-match award this season.
“He is on cloud nine. Five matches, five goals,” said Santander manager Jose Alberto, while stressing that the young forward still had several areas of his game to improve.
Zabiri’s impact in Spain is in sharp contrast to his early months at Rennes. He joined the French club in February after a spell at Famalicao, where he made six appearances without starting a match.
His decision to continue his development in Spain, however, was not accidental. When he was presented as a Santander player, Zabiri explained why he believed the Spanish game would suit him better.
“In France, football is much more based on duels than collective play. That did not suit my style. I understood that my profile was much better suited to Spanish or Portuguese football,” he said.
So far, his performances have supported that assessment. Mobile and particularly effective when combining with team-mates, Zabiri appears more closely connected to Santander’s attacking play. His adjustment to Liga football has been swift, in marked contrast to the difficulty he experienced adapting in France.
That progress does not mean every weakness has disappeared. Physical battles remain a part of the game in every country, and Zabiri will need to develop in that area if he is to establish himself with Morocco. African international football can present a significant physical challenge.
His situation at club level could also require another decision when his loan ends. Rennes will have to determine whether to retain him, particularly if the Breton club lose their striker Esteban Lepaul next summer.
For now, the move to Spain is delivering precisely what was intended: restoring the confidence and accelerating the development of a forward whose potential became clear during Morocco’s triumph at the FIFA U20 World Cup.
After five matches, Zabiri’s Liga breakthrough looks less like a surprise than the result of a carefully judged move.