Zakaria Aboukhlal

Born in the Netherlands, he plays for the Morocco national team, having previously played for the Netherlands at various youth levels.

Zakaria Aboukhlal

Aboukhlal with Morocco in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Zakaria Aboukhlal
Date of birth	(2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Gorinchem, Netherlands
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right winger
Team information
Current team	Toulouse
Number	7
Youth career
	GVV Unitas
	GVV Raptim
2009–2017	Willem II
2017–2018	PSV
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2019	Jong PSV	25	(9)
2019	PSV	2	(0)
2019–2022	Jong AZ	19	(13)
2019–2022	AZ	69	(9)
2022–	Toulouse	42	(13)
International career‡
2016–2017	Netherlands U17	12	(5)
2017	Netherlands U18	4	(4)
2017–2019	Netherlands U19	10	(2)
2019	Netherlands U20	5	(1)
2020–	Morocco	21	(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:34, 4 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:34, 4 February 2024 (UTC)

PSV

Aboukhlal made his professional debut for Jong PSV in a 2–1 Eerste Divisie win over FC Eindhoven on 17 August 2018.

AZ

In August 2019, after making only two appearances for PSV's senior side, Aboukhlal transferred to Eredivisie rivals AZ Alkmaar in a deal worth €2 million. In a match for Jong AZ on 9 December 2019, he scored all four of his team's goals in a win against Helmond Sport.

Toulouse

On 24 June 2022, Aboukhlal signed with French club Toulouse. In his first season at the club, he won the Coupe de France. He scored a 79th-minute goal in the 2023 Coupe de France final to help his club beat defending champions Nantes 5–1.

 

Aboukhal was born in the Netherlands to a Moroccan mother and Libyan father. He is a former youth international for the Netherlands. He decided not to represent the Netherlands but the Morocco national team because of his growing up among the Moroccan community residing in the Netherlands, he was called up to represent in November 2020. He was called up for the Libyan National Team but refused. Aboukhlal debuted for Morocco in a 4–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Central African Republic on 13 November 2020, and scored his side's fourth goal in his debut.

On 10 November 2022, he was named in Morocco's 23-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He scored his first goal in the World Cup against Belgium on 27 November 2022.

On 14 May 2023, Aboukhlal refused to represent Toulouse in a Ligue 1 match against Nantes due to the game being a part of a league-wide campaign against homophobia, meaning all teams' kits for the week featured rainbow-themed decorations. He was in the same week accused by several news outlets, of having been involved in an alleged sexist altercation with Toulouse's female deputy major Laurence Arribagé, during Toulouse's Coupe de France title festivities at the city hall in April. Aboukhlal, who was alleged to have told Arribagé that women should behave in a subservient manner to men after Arribagé had asked some of the players to tone down their loud behaviour, was temporarily suspended from all first team activities. Following this accusation, Aboukhlal tweeted: "Following the article published by RMC on Monday, May 15th, I had the opportunity to meet and discuss with Laurence Arribagé. During this meeting, we both confirmed the RMC sport report does not match what has really happened on 30th of April at the Capitole. We would like to put an end to this controversy which has strongly affected both of us as well as our families. Thank you for respecting our decision."

Club

As of match played 21 September 2023