Zakaria El Ouahdi

Zakaria El Ouahdi
	El Ouahdi in 2021.
Personal information
Date of birth	31 December 2001 (age 23)
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
2021–2023	RWD Molenbeek
2023–	Genk
International career‡
2023–	Morocco U23
Medal record
Representing Morocco
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
Olympic Games
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 January 2025; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 August 2024

Zakaria El Ouahdi (Arabic: زَكَرِيَّا الْوَحْدِيّ; born 31 December 2001), is a professional footballer who plays as a right-winger or a right-back for Belgian Pro League club Genk. Born in Belgium, he represents Morocco internationally 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]

El Ouadhi earned his first senior call-up for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho in September 2024, but remained on the bench for both games.^[16]^[17]

Career Statistics

Club

As of 25 January 2025^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rupel Boom	2020-21	Belgian National Division 1	1	0	1	0	—		—		2	0
RWD Molenbeek	2021-22	Challenger Pro League	21	1	1	0	—		2^[a]	0	24	1
	2022-23	Challenger Pro League	25	7	2	0	—		—		27	7
	2023-24	Belgian Pro League	5	0	0	0	—		—		5	0
	Total		51	8	3	0	—		2	0	56	8
Genk	2023-24	Belgian Pro League	24	0	2	0	1^[b]	0	—		27	0
	2024-25	Belgian Pro League	21	3	2	1	—		—		23	4
	Total		45	3	4	1	1	0	—		50	4
Career Total			97	11	8	1	1	0	2	0	108	12

Honours

RWD Molenbeek

Challenger Pro League: 2022–23^[9]

Morocco U-23

U-23 Africa Cup of Nations: 2023^[14]
Summer Olympics Bronze Medal: 2024^[19]

Individual

Challenger Pro League best XI: 2022–23^[10]
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the tournament: 2023^[15]

Notes

^ Appearance(s) in Promotion/relegation play-offs
^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

References

^ "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.
^ ^a ^b "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.
^ ^a ^b "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.
^ ^a ^b "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SOFOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b "CAN U23: L'équipe type de la compétition dévoilé". Africa Foot United (in French). 9 July 2023.
^ "Morocco vs. Gabon - 6 September 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
^ "Lesotho vs. Morocco - 9 September 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
^ Zakaria El Ouahdi at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
^ "Egypt U23 vs Morocco U23: Olympics". BBC Sport. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.

External links

Zakaria El Ouahdi at Soccerway

[PL-19] Appearance(s) in Promotion/relegation play-offs

[UECL-20] Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

[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.

[d2_champs-9] "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.

[best_xi-10] "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.

[MAR_U23-14] "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SOFOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023.

[can_u23_best-15] "CAN U23: L'équipe type de la compétition dévoilé". Africa Foot United (in French). 9 July 2023.

[16] "Morocco vs. Gabon - 6 September 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 October 2024.

[17] "Lesotho vs. Morocco - 9 September 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 October 2024.

[18] Zakaria El Ouahdi at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 September 2024.

[21] "Egypt U23 vs Morocco U23: Olympics". BBC Sport. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.

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