Zakaria El Ouahdi
El Ouahdi in 2021.
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-12-31) 31 December 2001
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 0 (0)
International career‡
2023– Morocco U23 8 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 July 2023

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.

Early life

El Ouahdi was born in Hoboken in the Antwerp Province in a family of eight children. His parents are of Moroccan descent.[1]

Club career

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]

International career

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]

Honours

RWD Molenbeek

Morocco U-23

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Zakaria El Ouahdi, le chouchou du stade Machtens" (in French). La DH Les Sports+. 12 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "D1B: Zakaria El Ouahdi signe son premier contrat pro au RWDM". sudinfo.be (in French). 9 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "RWD Molenbeek 3-1 Excel Mouscron - 14 août 2021 / Division 1-B 2021/2022". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Deinze 1-2 RWD Molenbeek - 03 octobre 2021 / Division 1-B 2021/2022". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "RWDM vs. Club Brugge II - 12 March 2023 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Le RWDM se rapproche de la montée grâce à un triplé de Zakaria El Ouahdi". BX1 (in French). 12 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Molenbeek, champion de D2 belge, promu en Pro League" (in French). L'Équipe. 14 May 2023.
  9. 1 2 "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.
  10. 1 2 "D1B - Equipe de l'Année // AILIER DROIT : Zakaria El Ouahdi (RWDM)". www.proximus.be (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "CAN U23: la liste des Lionceaux dévoilée, avec El Khannouss et Ezzalzouli". Le360 Sport (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. 1 2 "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SOFOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023.
  15. 1 2 "CAN U23: L'équipe type de la compétition dévoilé". Africa Foot United (in French). 9 July 2023.


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