Zakaria_El_Ouahdi
Zakaria El Ouahdi
Moroccan footballer
Zakaria El Ouahdi (born 31 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays for Belgian club Genk. He plays as a right-winger or a right-back. Born in Belgium, he represents Morocco at youth level.
|
El Ouahdi in 2021. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (2001-12-31) 31 December 2001 (age 22) | ||
| Place of birth | Hoboken, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-winger, right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Genk | ||
| Number | 77 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2013 | Beerschot VAC | ||
| 2013–2018 | Zulte Waregem | ||
| 2018–2019 | Manchester IFA | ||
| 2019–2020 | K. Berchem Sport | ||
| 2020–2021 | K. Rupel Boom | ||
| 2021 | RWD Molenbeek | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | RWD Molenbeek | 55 | (8) |
| 2023– | Genk | 14 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Morocco U23 | 8 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 February 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 July 2023 | |||
El Ouahdi was born in Hoboken in the Antwerp Province in a family of eight children. His parents are of Moroccan descent.[1]
In June 2021, El Ouadhi joined the under-21 side of RWD Molenbeek.[2] After good performances, El Ouadhi was regularly invited to train with the first team, and was awarded his first professional contract on 9 September 2021.[3]
On 14 August 2021, he made his professional debut in Challenger Pro League in RWD Molenbeek's 3–1 victory against Royal Excel Mouscron.[4] On 3 October, he scored his first goal in professional, awarding a 2-1 win for his club against Deinze.[5]
On 12 March 2023, El Ouadhi scored his first career hattrick against Club NXT, offering an important 3-2 win for RWD Molenbeek for their fight for promotion.[6][7] He terminated the 2022-23 season by winning the league with RWD Molenbeek and gained a promotion to the Jupiler Pro League.[8][9] El Ouadhi named was as Molenbeek's player of the season and figured in the league's best XI of the season.[10]
On 5 September 2023, El Ouahdi signed for Genk on an initial three-year deal with the option for a further twelve months.[11]
Holding both Belgian and Moroccan citizenship, El Ouadhi chose to represent Morocco in international level. On 9 June 2023, he was called up by coach Issame Charaï in Morocco U-23 squad for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.[12] El Ouadhi appeared in four out of five matches during the tournament, and scored one goal against Mali U-23 in the semi-final match.[13] Morocco U-23 won the tournament as El Ouadhi figured in the competition's team of the tournament as the best right-back.[14][15]
RWD Molenbeek
Morocco U-23
Individual
- Challenger Pro League best XI: 2022-23[10]
- U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the tournament : 2023[15]
- "Zakaria El Ouahdi, le chouchou du stade Machtens" (in French). La DH Les Sports+. 12 December 2022.
- "Twee jaar na zijn komst heeft Zakaria El Ouahdi de titel met RWDM beet: "Nooit gedacht dat het zo snel zou gaan"" (in Flemish). Het Nieuwsblad. 14 May 2023.
- "D1B: Zakaria El Ouahdi signe son premier contrat pro au RWDM". sudinfo.be (in French). 9 September 2021.
- "RWD Molenbeek 3-1 Excel Mouscron - 14 août 2021 / Division 1-B 2021/2022". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "Deinze 1-2 RWD Molenbeek - 03 octobre 2021 / Division 1-B 2021/2022". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "RWDM vs. Club Brugge II - 12 March 2023 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "Le RWDM se rapproche de la montée grâce à un triplé de Zakaria El Ouahdi". BX1 (in French). 12 March 2023.
- "Molenbeek, champion de D2 belge, promu en Pro League" (in French). L'Équipe. 14 May 2023.
- "D1B – El Ouahdi aux anges après le sacre du RWDM: "Vivre ces sensations à mon âge, c'est fantastique"". sudinfo.be (in French). 14 May 2023.
- "D1B - Equipe de l'Année // AILIER DROIT : Zakaria El Ouahdi (RWDM)". www.proximus.be (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "TWEE NIEUWE GEZICHTEN ARRIVEREN IN DE CEGEKA ARENA" [TWO NEW FACES ARRIVE AT THE CEGEKA ARENA]. www.krcgenk.be/nl (in Dutch). 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- "CAN U23: la liste des Lionceaux dévoilée, avec El Khannouss et Ezzalzouli". Le360 Sport (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "CAN U23 : Le Maroc en finale au détriment du Mali et se qualifie pour les JO - La Vie éco". lavieeco.com (in French). 5 July 2023.
- "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SOFOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023.
- "CAN U23: L'équipe type de la compétition dévoilé". Africa Foot United (in French). 9 July 2023.
- Zakaria El Ouahdi at Soccerway
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