Oussama El Azzouzi (Arabic: أسامة العزوزي; born 29 May 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A club Bologna. Born in the Netherlands, he plays for the Morocco national team.

Oussama El Azzouzi
Personal information
Full name Oussama El Azzouzi
Date of birth (2001-05-29) 29 May 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Veenendaal, Netherlands
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Bologna
Number 17
Youth career
2009–2011 VRC
2011–2016 Vitesse
2016–2018 DOVO
2018–2021 Groningen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Emmen 34 (1)
2022–2023 Union SG 23 (0)
2023– Bologna 18 (2)
International career
2023–2024 Morocco U23 12 (0)
2023– Morocco 4 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Morocco
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2023 Morocco
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:41, 24 May 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:16, 5 August 2024 (UTC)

Club career

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El Azzouzi was born on 29 May 2001 in Veenendaal, Netherlands. He started playing organised football at local club VRC at age eight, before going on to play in the youth academies of Groningen and Vitesse, as well as amateur club DOVO.[1][2] He made his professional debut for Emmen in the Eerste Divisie for one season, helping them gain promotion as champions to the Eredivisie at the end of the 2021–22 season. He signed a three-year contract in Union SG in July 2022, with the option of an extra year.[3][4] He made his debut for Union SG on 6 August 2022, starting a 3–0 away defeat against Mechelen.[5]

On 20 July 2023, El Azzouzi signed with Serie A club Bologna.[6]

International career

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Born in the Netherlands, El Azzouzi is Moroccan by descent.[7] He was called up to the Morocco U23s in March 2023.[8]

In June 2023, he was included in the final squad of the under-23 national team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco itself,[9][10] where the Atlas Lions won their first title[11][12] and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[11][13]

In October 2023, he was called up to the Morocco senior national team for the first time.[14] He made his senior debut for Morocco on 17 October 2023, starting a 3–0 home win against Liberia in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match.[15]

Personal life

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He is the twin brother of the footballer Anouar El Azzouzi.[16]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 24 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Emmen 2021–22 Eerste Divisie 34 1 2 0 36 1
Union SG 2022–23 Belgian Pro League 23 0 4 2 7 0 34 2
Bologna 2023–24 Serie A 18 2 2 0 20 2
2024–25 Serie A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 18 2 2 0 0 0 20 2
Career total 93 3 8 2 7 0 0 0 110 5

Honours

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FC Emmen

Morocco U23

References

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  1. ^ "Interview Anouar El Azzouzi". PEC Zwolle (in Dutch). 24 February 2024. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Basisdebuut Oussama El Azzouzi bij Marokko". v.v. DOVO (in Dutch). 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Confusion surrounds USG signing as UEFA website drops Rangers hint". Rangersnews.uk.
  4. ^ "Oussama el Azzouzi signs contract in Belgium". ad.nl.
  5. ^ "MECHELEN VS. RUSG 3–0". Soccerway.
  6. ^ "Oussama El Azzouzi joins Bologna". Bologna. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Union vindt defensieve versterking met Oussama El Azzouzi". www.bruzz.be.
  8. ^ "منتخب أقل من 23 سنة يدخل تجمع اعدادي للمنافسة بالدوري الدولي بالرباط — يسبريس 7". 21 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Sei bianconeri con le nazionali". FC Lugano (in Italian). 9 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  10. ^ "تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 23 سنة امام غينيا". Royal Moroccan Football Federation (in Arabic). 24 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "Morocco win maiden TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations title with victory over Egypt | Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2023". CAFOnline.com. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SO FOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Le Mali, le Maroc et l'Égypte qualifiés pour les JO 2024". SO FOOT.com (in French). 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Veenendaler Oussama el Azzouzi for the first time in the Morocco national selection". regiosportveenendaal.nl. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  15. ^ "MOROCCO VS LIBERIA 3-0". Soccerway. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  16. ^ Bomgaars, Arco (8 August 2022). "Anouar El Azzouzi kijkt met trots naar broer Oussama: 'Ik hoop in zijn voetsporen te treden'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Egypt U23 vs Morocco U23: Olympics". BBC Sport. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
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