Yassine Bounou becomes Wydad Casablanca’s first gold member

Yesterday 17:29

Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca has created a new distinction within its membership structure, with Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou becoming the first player to receive the club’s newly established “gold member” status.

The announcement, made on Sunday, gives Bounou the symbolic membership number 001 and places his name at the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Casablanca-based club.

A recognition rooted in Wydad’s academy

Bounou’s connection with Wydad dates back to his formative years, when he developed his goalkeeping skills within the club’s youth system. His progression from the academy to the international stage has made him one of the most recognisable Moroccan footballers of his generation.

By selecting Bounou as the inaugural gold member, Wydad is highlighting the link between its training structure and the careers of players who have gone on to represent Morocco at the highest level.

The distinction also gives the club an opportunity to celebrate a former academy player whose career has extended well beyond Casablanca while maintaining his association with his formative club.

A new chapter in the club’s membership history

The creation of the gold-member category represents a new element in Wydad’s institutional history. Bounou’s number 001 gives the initiative an immediately symbolic dimension, making him the first name officially associated with the new status.

For Wydad, the move underlines its intention to preserve ties with former players and recognise individuals who have contributed to the club’s identity and reputation.

The club also stressed its pride in seeing Bounou continue to carry the Wydad name, describing his association with the institution in terms of pride and honour.

From Casablanca to the international stage

Bounou’s career illustrates the trajectory that can emerge from a Moroccan club academy. After beginning his football development at Wydad, he went on to build an international career and became a key figure for the Morocco national team.

His recognition by Wydad therefore connects two dimensions of his career: his early development in Casablanca and his subsequent status as an established Moroccan international.

With Bounou now officially carrying the first gold-member number, Wydad has opened a new avenue for honouring figures connected to its history while placing one of its academy graduates at the centre of the initiative.