Sofian Chakla
Chakla with Videoton in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-09-02) 2 September 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth Kenitra, Morocco
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Sabah
Number 44
Youth career
Las Norias
2005–2010 La Mojonera
2010–2012 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Málaga B 19 (2)
2014 Betis B 12 (2)
2014–2015 Videoton 6 (0)
2015–2016 La Roda 23 (0)
2016–2017 El Ejido 23 (1)
2017–2018 Almería B 39 (6)
2018–2019 Melilla 26 (2)
2019–2020 Villarreal B 21 (1)
2020–2021 Villarreal 3 (0)
2021 → Getafe (loan) 11 (0)
2021–2022 OH Leuven 17 (0)
2023 Ponferradina 13 (0)
2023– Sabah 9 (0)
International career‡
2013–2014 Morocco U20 5 (0)
2021– Morocco 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 December 2022

Soufiane "Sofian" Chakla (Arabic: سفيان شاكلا; born 2 September 1993) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Azerbaijan Premier League club Sabah.[1]

Club career

Born in Kenitra, Chakla moved to Spain at the age of eight, and joined Málaga CF's youth setup in 2010. He made his debut as a senior with the reserves in 2012, in Tercera División.

On 27 January 2014, Chakla rescinded with the Andalusians and moved to another reserve team, Real Betis B also in the fourth tier.[2] On 11 July he signed for Hungarian club Videoton FC.[3]

Chakla made his professional debut on 2 November 2014, starting in a 1–0 home win against Budapest Honvéd FC. However, he only appeared in six matches during the whole campaign, and was subsequently released.

On 23 September 2015, after failed trials at Sporting Gijón, Chakla joined Segunda División B club La Roda CF.[4] The following 25 August he moved to fellow league team CD El Ejido 2012.[5]

On 31 May 2017, Chakla signed for UD Almería B in the fourth tier, mainly as a replacement to injured Igor Engonga.[6] On 16 July of the following year, after helping the Andalusians in their promotion, he moved to third division side UD Melilla on a 2+1 contract.[7]

On 17 July 2019, Chakla signed for Villarreal CF;[8] initially assigned to the reserves in division three, he was definitely promoted to the main squad on 27 January 2020.[9] He made his La Liga debut on 19 June, starting in a 1–0 away win against Granada CF.[10]

On 30 January 2021, Chakla joined Getafe CF on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.[11] In August 2021, he moved to Belgian side Oud-Heverlee Leuven.

On 18 January 2023, Chakla returned to Spain after agreeing to a contract with SD Ponferradina in the second level.[12]

International career

He made his debut for Morocco national football team on 30 March 2021 in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 May 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Málaga B 2012–13[14] Tercera División 15 0 — — 2[a] 0 17 0
2013–14[14] Tercera División 4 2 — — — 4 2
Total 19 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 21 2
Betis B 2013–14[14] Tercera División 12 2 — — 6[a] 1 18 3
Videoton 2014–15[15] NB I 6 0 2 0 9 0 — 17 0
La Roda 2015–16[15] Segunda División B 23 0 — — — 23 0
El Ejido 2016–17[15] Segunda División B 23 1 — — — 23 1
Almería B 2017–18[14] Tercera División 39 6 — — 3[a] 0 42 6
Melilla 2018–19[15] Segunda División B 26 2 3 0 — 4[a] 0 33 2
Villarreal B 2019–20[15] Segunda División B 21 1 — — — 21 1
Villarreal 2019–20[15] La Liga 2 0 1 0 — — 3 0
2020–21[15] La Liga 1 0 2 1 — — 3 1
Total 3 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 6 1
Getafe (loan) 2020–21[15] La Liga 11 0 0 0 — — 11 0
Career total 183 14 8 1 9 0 15 1 215 16
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs

International

As of match played 18 January 2022[16]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Morocco 2021 3 0
2022 1 0
Total 4 0

Honours

Videoton

References

  1. ^ Sofian Chakla at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Chakla rescinde con el Málaga y ficha por el Betis" [Chakla rescinds with Málaga and signs for Betis] (in Spanish). Fútbol Marroquí. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Marokkói védő igazolt Fehérvárra" [Moroccan defender signs with Fehérvárra] (in Hungarian). Rangado. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  4. ^ "El central sub-23 Chakla ficha por La Roda CF" [Under-23 stopper Chakla signs for La Roda CF] (in Spanish). La Roda CF. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Sofian a competir" [Sofian to compete] (in Spanish). CD El Ejido. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  6. ^ "El filial ficha al defensa central Sofián para el play-off de ascenso a Segunda B" [The reserves sign the stopper Sofián for the promotion play-off to Segunda B] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. ^ "La U.D. Melilla asegura el presente y el futuro de su defensa con el potente Sofian Chakla" [U.D. Melilla assure the present and future of their defense with powerful Sofian Chakla] (in Spanish). UD Melilla. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Sofian Chakla strengthens Villarreal B". Villarreal CF. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Sofian Chakla is now a first-team player". Villarreal CF. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Gerard mantiene al Villarreal en su firme rumbo hacia Europa" [Gerard keeps Villarreal in their steady course towards Europa] (in Spanish). Marca. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  11. ^ "COMUNICADO OFICIAL: Soufiane" [OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Soufiane] (in Spanish). Getafe CF. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Soufiane Chakla, nuevo jugador de la SD Ponferradina" [Soufiane Chakla, new player of SD Ponferradina] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Morocco v Burundi game report". Confederation of African Football. 30 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d Sofian Chakla at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Sofian Chakla at Soccerway
  16. ^ Sofian Chakla at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sofian Chakla.
Morocco squad – 2021 Africa Cup of Nations
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