Couhaib Driouech: ”You know why you’re doing it – this brings you closer to your faith”
In an exclusive talk with Life After Football, PSV winger Couhaib Driouech opens up about the powerful role faith plays in his life, the unforgettable triumph of winning the Africa Cup with Morocco, and the surreal moment of meeting one of the greatest footballers of all time: Ronaldinho.
“You just have to flip the switch”
At the time of speaking, it’s Ramadan – a challenging period for a footballer, but also one that gives PSV’s speedy winger a lot of strength. Couhaib Driouech says: “It’s Ramadan. This is a very special month for us. You grow closer to your faith and spend a lot of time with your family. It’s also a bit difficult, but honestly, you just have to flip the switch.”
“Sleep plays a huge role,” continues the lightning-quick dribbler. “At night you have to wake up for prayer and to eat. And if you’re training or playing matches, you really need to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep to stay fit. Luckily, you can catch up on sleep during the day, and you just have to eat as well as possible when you can to get through the day. But you know why you’re doing it – this brings you closer to your faith.”
“This was an insane experience”
Africa Cup Winner
Driouech is also a Moroccan youth international and won the Africa Cup with Morocco U-23. That has been the highlight of his career so far. “That was an insane experience. The Africa Cup was right after the World Cup in Qatar, so everyone in the team was still riding the high from the senior team’s performance. We were the host nation and there was a huge crowd at every match. The promotion final to the Eredivisie with Excelsior against ADO Den Haag was also really special, but winning the Africa Cup stands just a little above that.”
And with that memory still fresh in his mind, Driouech is already looking ahead to his next goal: playing for Morocco’s senior national team. “Right now, that’s one of my biggest dreams. The Africa Cup victory has left me wanting more. I’m doing everything I can to get selected. We have a strong team and we can give anyone a tough time.”
“At one point, I see Ronaldinho walking into the beach club”
Out of this world
During his last summer vacation, Driouech also ran into one of his idols in Dubai: Ronaldinho. “I was on holiday, and at one point, I see Ronaldinho walking into the beach club. I went up to him right away, but he was a bit busy and asked me to come back later. In the end, I managed to get a photo with him and we talked a bit, as much as possible. I tried to explain that I’m a footballer too, but it was a bit difficult because his English isn’t great. So he couldn’t give me any advice, but of course I’ve already seen loads of footage of him as a player.”
“I’ve always told my sister there are only three people I’d want to take a picture with,” says Driouech. “Those are Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. If I could have been part of one team from the past, it would be Pep Guardiola’s FC Barcelona. They won everything there was to win. That team as a whole was out of this world.”
Not done reading yet? Check out Marcus Pedersen’s four tips on mental health.
