False! No decision by FIFA to design Bounou’s statue

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Claim: A Facebook user, Pl Shakil, posted a claim, alleging that FIFA has decided to design a statue for Yassine Bounou and put it in the FIFA Museum, Zurich. 

Verdict: False! While FIFA acknowledges Bounou’s goalkeeping prowess, no evidence suggests that FIFA has decided to honour him with a statue. The claim has neither been reported by FIFA nor by any credible news agency. 

Full Text

Yassine Bounou, a Canadian-born goalkeeper, plays for the Moroccan National team and was instrumental in the country’s 2022 World Cup performance. 

FIFA has recognised Bounou for his outstanding performances, especially in the 2022 World Cup, where he led Morocco to its first-ever semifinal. 

According to FIFA, Bounou’s Morocco became the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-final after beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 1:0.

The 34-year-old, nicknamed the “Spider,” plays in the Saudi Pro League for Al Hilal. 

Bounou’s goalkeeping display in the 2025 Club World Cup group stage amazed the world. In stoppage time, he saved Real Madrid’s only penalty, holding the European giant to a 1-1 draw. 

Leading Al Hilal to the quarterfinals, Bounou made 10 saves against Manchester City in the Round of  Sixteen, helping his side eliminate the English giant by a 4:3 goal margin. 

Bounou’s impressive performance became a viral discourse among football-loving fans. 

FIFA described his performances in the 2022 and 2025 World Cups as “unforgettable.” 

Al Hilal were later eliminated in the Quarterfinals of the 2025 World Cup by a Brazilian club, Fluminense, in a 2:1 defeat.  

However, a popular Facebook user, Pl Shakil, alleged that FIFA, the world football governing body, has decided to design a statue for Bounou and put it in the FIFA Museum in Zurich. 

When the claim was posted on July 5, 2025, it had already gained 74.8k likes, 1k comments, and 766 shares. 

A similar claim can be found on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim due to its potential to mislead the public. 

Verification

Conducting a Google keyword search, DUBAWA found that credible sports news agencies like Sky Sports, ESPN, and BBC Sport did not report the story. 

DUBAWA also searched Al Hilal’s official website to verify the claim, but there was no evidence to support it. 

The researcher also reviewed the official FIFA Museum website, but there was no indication that FIFA has decided to design a statue for Bounou. 

DUBAWA’s further search of the FIFA News and Info website revealed no evidence supporting Pl Shakil’s claim on Facebook. 

Below gives an in-depth understanding of FIFA’s role in designing statues for football legends:

Is FIFA’s role to design statues for legendary footballers? 

No! Although FIFA can recognise the legendary status of football stars, the global federation body is not mandated to design statues for legendary football stars. 

Clubs and National teams often commission statues of football legends to honour their stars’ remarkable achievements. 

FIFA’s primary role is to govern football globally. 

How does FIFA honour legends? 

The FIFA Museum, established in 2016, was part of a process of honoring global football. The FIFA Museum, located in Zurich, Switzerland, was first initiated by the then-FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, in 2012. 

According to Inside Fifa, the FIFA museum exhibits over 1,000 objects, including historic artefacts and memorabilia for every FIFA World Cup trophy. 

With the creation of FIFA Legends, FIFA honours football legends based on their legendary achievements in FIFA competitions. While FIFA legends play a key role in shaping the football community, most of them continue to structure modern football. 

FIFA mainly recognises legends by giving them awards and creating special awards in their names based on their legendary football achievements.

However, FIFA does not directly design statues for football legends. 

Conclusion

DUBAWA’s investigation found that FIFA is not responsible for designing statues for football legends. There is also no evidence suggesting that FIFA has decided to create a statue for Bounou.