Bilal El Khannouss
El Khannouss with Morocco in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-05-10) 10 May 2004 (age 19)
Place of birth Strombeek-Bever, Belgium
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Genk
Number 34
Youth career
2009–2019 Anderlecht
2019–2022 Genk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Genk 60 (4)
International career‡
2019 Belgium U15 3 (1)
2019–2020 Belgium U16 7 (2)
2021 Belgium U18 3 (1)
2022– Morocco U20 4 (0)
2022– Morocco U23 2 (0)
2022– Morocco 7 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Morocco
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2023 Morocco
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:39, 28 December 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:05, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

Bilal El Khannouss (Arabic: بلال الخنوس; born 10 May 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Belgian Pro League club Genk.[1] Born in Belgium, he plays for the Morocco national team.

Club career

A youth exponent from Anderlecht, El Khannouss moved to Genk in 2019.[2] On 24 July 2020, he signed his first professional contract.[3] He made his league debut on 21 May 2022 against Mechelen.[4]

On 1 November 2023, El Khannouss was nominated for the 2023 African Young Player of the Year by CAF.[5]

International career

Born in Belgium, El Khannous is of Moroccan descent.[6] A former youth international for Belgium, El Khannous switched to represent the Morocco U20s.[7]

On 10 November 2022, he was named in Morocco's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[8][9] On 17 December, he made his international debut in the World Cup third-place playoff against Croatia, which ended in a 2–1 defeat.[10]

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,[11][12] where the Atlas Lions won their first title[13][14] and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[13][15]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 December 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Genk 2021–22 Belgian First Division A 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2022–23 Belgian Pro League 39 1 2 0 — — 41 1
2023–24 Belgian Pro League 20 3 2 0 12[a] 0 — 34 3
Career total 60 4 4 0 12 0 0 0 76 4
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Morocco U23

Individual

Orders

References

  1. ^ a b "Belgium - B. El Khannous - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. ^ "El Khannous verlaat Anderlecht". www.anderlecht-online.be.
  3. ^ Projects, Sanmax. "Jeugdinternational Bilal El Khannouss (16) tekent eerste contract | KRC Genk". www.krcgenk.be.
  4. ^ "ONZE PUNTEN. Niet de avond van Paul Onuachu, knap debuut van Bilal El Khannous". www.hbvl.be.
  5. ^ "CAF announces CAF Awards 2023 Nominees for Men's Categories". CAF. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Un joueur de Genk préfère le Maroc à la Belgique". www.footnews.be.
  7. ^ l'Atlas, Lions De (22 June 2021). "Coupe arabe U20 : Les Lionceaux se préparent au festin face aux Requins du Djibouti".
  8. ^ "Morocco World Cup 2022 squad: Who's in and who's out? | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Moroccan coach unveils list of 26 Atlas Lions in 2022 World Cup". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  10. ^ Bart De Vré (17 December 2022). "Bilal El Khannouss, Racing Genk, maakte een prima debuut voor Marokko: "Zeker geslaagd"". voetbalkrant.com (in Dutch).
  11. ^ "Sei bianconeri con le nazionali". FC Lugano (in Italian). 9 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  12. ^ "تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 23 سنة امام غينيا". Royal Moroccan Football Federation (in Arabic). 24 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ "Le Mali, le Maroc et l'Égypte qualifiés pour les JO 2024". SO FOOT.com (in French). 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Soulier d'Or : Bilal el Khannouss élu Espoir de l'année en Belgique". 25 January 2023.
  17. ^ https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/144578/football-bilal-khannouss-remporte-belgian.html
  18. ^ "Les dix types de wissams royaux accordés par Mohammed VI".

External links


K.R.C. Genk – current squad
Morocco squads
Categories