Abdelilah Hafidi

Abdelilah Hafidi

Hafidi with Raja CA in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Abdelilah Hafidi [1]
Date of birth	(1992-01-30) 30 January 1992 (age 32) [1]
Place of birth	Boujad, Morocco
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) [1]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder [2]
Team information
Current team	Raja CA
Number	81
Youth career
2004–2009	US Bejaâd
2009–2011	Raja CA
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2022	Raja CA	222	(50)
2022–2023	Al-Hazem	15	(1)
2023–	Raja CA	20	(0)
International career‡
2013–	Morocco A'	25	(6)
2013–	Morocco	6	(1)
Medal record Men's football Representing   Morocco African Nations Championship Winner 2018 Morocco Winner 2020 Cameroon
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 June 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 April 2023 (UTC)

Abdelilah Hafidi (born 30 January 1992) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder for Raja CA and the Morocco national team. ^[3] He started his professional career playing for Raja CA.

Career

Club

During the 2011–12 Botola season, Hafidi was one of a few Raja CA B players who were called up to the first team as part of the team's board members plan, which sought to solve the team's financial difficulties by giving the chance to its young players to integrate into the first team. Hafidi made 11 appearances during that season. However, he did not play for most of the season, but still managed to score 3 goals in the Botola; 2 goals against Chabab Massira (4–1) and 1 goal against KAC Kenitra (5–2). Raja ended a disappointing 2011–12 season as fourth in the ranking of the Botola, which secured them a place in the Arab Champions League.

During the 2012–13 pre-season transfer window, Raja CA's new president, Mohamed Boudrika, signed the Moroccan coach, Mohamed Fakhir. The latter made some meaningful changes to the team's squad. However, Hafidi was not released as Fakhir was convinced that the young player has a substantial individual talent. As a result, Hafidi imposed himself as an indispensable player in the team, despite his young age. Furthermore, he played an important role in the front line of the team, during all 5 matches of the Moroccan Cup Coupe du Trône, by scoring 3 goals in 3 consecutive matches, against Hassania Agadir (2–1), KACM (0–1) and Wydad Casablanca (1–3). Consequently, Raja won the Cup for the seventh time in its history, after beating AS FAR in the final, by penalty shoot-outs (4–5), following a score of (0–0) in the match.

Hafidi's performances drew more attention during the 2012–13 season. He scored 6 goals in the 2012–13 Botola, 2 goals in the Arab Champions League and 3 goals in the Throne Cup, and won his first trophies, the 2012 Throne Cup and the 2012–13 Botola. The latter qualified Raja directly to the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, as Morocco was the host country of that year's tournament. ^[4]

These were the beginning of a total of 8 titles he won with Raja. He won his third after a draw with Libyan side Al-Hilal SC to win the 2015 UNAF Cup. In 2017, Raja defeated Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi to earn the 2017 Moroccan Throne Cup. ^[5]

He won the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup after defeating AS Vita Club in the final, which guaranteed them a spot in the 2019 CAF Super Cup that Raja will win after a 2–1 victory over Espérance Sportive de Tunis in Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Doha. ^{[6] [7]} In 2020, He won his second Botola title and the 2020 Arab Champions League after defeating Al-Ittihad 4–3 in penalties. ^[8] In 2021, he achieved the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup after defeating JS Kabylie 2–1 in the final. ^[9] Raja lost the 2021 CAF Super Cup against Al Ahly SC in penalties. ^[10]

On January 13, 2022, Raja CA announced Hafidi's departure to Al-Hazm F.C. Established himself as one of the best Moroccan players of his generationn he said goodbye after spending more than ten years with the club, winning 9 trophies and scoring 68 goals and 75 assists in 316 games. ^[11]

On January 29, 2023, Abdelilah Hafidi returns to Raja and signs a six-month renewable contract after leaving Al Hazm. ^[12]

International

He made his debut for Morocco in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations group stage game against South Africa, scored one in an eventual 2–2 draw that saw Morocco eliminated after three draws. ^{[13] [14]}

Hafidi represented Morocco in the 2018 African Nations Championship, helping his country to achieve the first chan title for Morocco after defeating Nigeria 4–0 in the final. ^[15] He also took part in the 2020 African Nations Championship, helping his country to achieve the title and becoming the first and only country to win the Championship back to back after defeating Mali 2–0 in the final. ^[16]

Career statistics

Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	27 January 2013	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	South Africa	2–1	2–2	2013 Africa Cup of Nations
2.	1 December 2021	Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar	Palestine	2–0	4–0	2021 FIFA Arab Cup
3.				3–0

Honours

Club

Raja CA

• FIFA Club World Cup runner-up: 2013
• Botola: 2013, 2020
• Coupe du Trône: 2012, 2017 runner-up: 2013
• North African Cup of Champions: 2015
• Arab Champions League: 2020
• CAF Confederation Cup: 2018, 2021
• CAF Super Cup: 2019

Morocco

• African Nations Championship: 2018, 2020 ^[17]

Individual

• Botola Rookie of the Year: 2011–12
• Botola Player of the Year: 2018–19
• Botola Top assists: 2016–17
• Raja CA top goalscorer: 2014-15, 2015-16
• Raja CA top assists: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19
• Raja CA Player of the Month: October 2020
• CHAN top assists: 2020

References

1. "FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021: List of players: Morocco" (PDF). FIFA. 4 December 2021. p. 8. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
2. "Morocco name Chan squad". goal.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
3. Raja Casablance profile Archived 19 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine
4. "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
5. "Morocco 2016/17". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
6. "African Club Competitions 2018". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
7. "African Club Competitions 2018". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
8. "Arab Club Championship 2019–21". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
9. "African Club Competitions 2020/21". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
10. "African Club Competitions 2020/21". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
11. MATIN, Youssef Moutmaine, LE. "Raja : les Verts officialisent le transfert de Hafidi vers Aj Hazm". Le Matin (in French). Retrieved 14 January 2022.
12. "عقد الحافيظي مع الرجاء يمتد لستة أشهر قابلة للتجديد بموجب صفقة انتقال حر". www.elbotola.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 January 2023.
13. "South Africa grabs late equalizer pushing it through to quarter finals". Al Arabiya English. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
14. McCauley, Kim (27 January 2013). "Bafana Bafana progress in ACN". SBNation.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
15. Clark, Gill. "Morocco Cruise to 4–0 Win over Nigeria to Win 2018 CHAN Final". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
16. Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "Morocco win second CHAN title after defeating Mali in final". CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
17. "Morocco 4–0 Nigeria – February 04, 2018 / CHAN 2018".