Hakim Ziyech facts for kids
Ziyech in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hakim Ziyech | ||
| Date of birth | 19 March 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Dronten, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | Reaal Dronten | ||
| 2004–2007 | ASV Dronten | ||
| 2007–2012 | Heerenveen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Heerenveen II | 31 | (14) |
| 2012–2014 | Heerenveen | 36 | (11) |
| 2014–2016 | Twente | 68 | (30) |
| 2016–2020 | Ajax | 112 | (38) |
| 2020–2023 | Chelsea | 64 | (6) |
| 2023–2025 | Galatasaray | 23 | (6) |
| 2025 | Al-Duhail | 9 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2012–2013 | Netherlands U20 | 3 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Netherlands U21 | 3 | (2) |
| 2015– | Morocco | 64 | (25) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 September 2024 |
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Hakim Ziyech (born 19 March 1993) is a professional footballer. He plays as a right winger or an attacking midfielder. Ziyech was born in the Netherlands. He plays for the Morocco national team. Fans of his former club Ajax call him "The Wizard".
Ziyech began his professional career in 2012. He played for the Dutch club Heerenveen. Two years later, he joined another Dutch club, Twente. In 2016, he signed with Ajax. He stayed there for five years. The 2018–19 season was his best at Ajax. He scored 16 goals and made 13 assists in the Eredivisie league. Overall, he scored 21 goals and made 24 assists that season. He moved to the Premier League club Chelsea in the 2020–21 season.
Because he was born in the Netherlands, Ziyech could choose to play for either the Netherlands or Morocco. He chose to play for Morocco. He represented Morocco in the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022. He also played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and 2023.
Ziyech is known for his great skills. These include his dribbling, long passes, and ability to score from free kicks. In 2019, he was named one of the top 3 midfielders in the UEFA Champions League. This was for the 2018–19 season. Later that year, he was ranked 29th among the "100 best footballers in the world" by The Guardian. Since joining the national team in 2015, Ziyech has given all his earnings from international games to charities or team staff.
Contents
- Early Life and Football Dreams
- Club Career Highlights
- International Career
- How Hakim Ziyech Plays Football
- Career Statistics
- Honours and Awards
- See also
Early Life and Football Dreams
Hakim Ziyech was born in Dronten, Netherlands. He is the youngest of nine children. His parents were from a village in Morocco. Many Moroccans moved to the Netherlands for work. Hakim's father moved in 1967. He worked in a metal factory. Hakim's mother joined him later. She took care of their children.
Hakim has both Dutch and Moroccan citizenship. He loved playing football with his brothers and friends. They played for hours on a special football court near his home. This is where he learned his first skills. Football quickly became his passion. When he was young, he watched famous players like Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane on YouTube. He said he watched their videos every day.
Two of his older brothers also played football. They joined youth academies in the 1990s. When Hakim was seven, he asked his father to sign him up for a football club. In 2001, he started playing for Reaal Dronten. There, he met Aziz Doufikar. Doufikar was the first Moroccan player in the Eredivisie league. Ziyech said Doufikar greatly inspired him to become a footballer.
Ziyech spent a lot of time playing football. He would go to school early with his ball. He played during lunch breaks. After school, he would play again. He said, "Whenever I nutmegged a big kid, the whole neighbourhood would start screaming." He learned to make good choices in his life. He focused on football.
When he was ten, Ziyech faced a very difficult time. His father passed away after being ill for several months. This was a big challenge for him. He grew up with his mother. She worked hard to raise her eight children. Some of his brothers faced difficulties. Ziyech realized he needed to focus on his dream. His family hoped he would succeed in football.
Club Career Highlights
Heerenveen: Starting His Journey
With help from Aziz Doufikar, Ziyech returned to football. He played for youth teams at Reaal Dronten and ASV Dronten. His older brother also encouraged him. At 14, he visited Morocco for the first time. He went to see his father's grave. When he came back, he had trials with SC Heerenveen and Ajax.
Heerenveen scouts were impressed. In 2007, he joined Heerenveen's academy. Ajax thought he was too small. Ziyech faced some challenges during his early years at the academy. His former coach, Doufikar, helped him stay focused on football. Ziyech realized that football was his future.
Heerenveen saw his potential. When he was 17, he was promoted to the first team in January 2012. At 18, he started working with his agent, Mustapha Nakhli. Ziyech moved to Amsterdam and lived with his agent for three years.
First Team Debut and Goals
In April 2012, Ziyech signed his first professional contract with Heerenveen. It was a two-year deal. He played his first unofficial game on 10 July 2012. He scored his first goal with a great free kick. His coach, Marco van Basten, was impressed. Ziyech made his official debut on 2 August 2012. This was in a Europa League match. He played for 53 minutes. He made his Eredivisie league debut on 10 August.
Ziyech scored his first goal for Heerenveen on 10 August 2013. This was in a 2–0 win. On 23 August, he made two assists in a 3–3 draw against Ajax. On 8 November, he scored and assisted in a 5–2 win. On 21 December, Ziyech scored twice and assisted once. This was in a 5–1 away win. He continued to score important goals for Heerenveen.
Twente: Becoming a Key Player
On 18 August 2014, Ziyech joined Twente. The transfer cost 3.5 million euros. He signed a three-year contract and wore the number 10 shirt. On 5 October, he scored and assisted in a 2–2 draw. On 6 March 2015, Ziyech scored two goals in a 2–2 draw. On 10 May, he made three assists in a 3–0 home win.
On 17 May, Ziyech scored twice and assisted once against his old club Heerenveen. He finished the season with 11 goals and 15 assists in the Eredivisie. For the 2015–16 season, Ziyech became the team captain. He scored 17 goals and made 10 assists in the Eredivisie that season. This was his most successful season at Twente.
Ajax: "The Wizard" Shines
Early Seasons and European Success
On 30 August 2016, Ziyech signed with Ajax. The transfer fee was about 11 million euros. He signed a five-year deal. On 15 September, he received a red card in a Europa League game. Six days later, he scored his first goal for Ajax. This was in a 5–0 win in the KNVB Cup. On 2 October, he scored his first league goal for Ajax.
He continued to score in the Europa League. He scored against Celta Vigo twice. On 15 January 2017, Ziyech scored two goals in an away win. He helped Ajax reach the Europa League final that season.
In the 2017–18 season, Ziyech continued to perform well. He scored the opening goal in a 1–2 defeat. On 20 August, he scored in a 3–1 win. He also provided many assists for his teammates. On 18 March 2018, Ziyech scored two goals in a 5–2 away win.
Domestic Double and Champions League Run
On 25 July 2018, Ziyech scored in a Champions League qualifying win. On 13 February 2019, he scored his first Champions League goal. This was against Real Madrid. On 5 March 2019, he scored again in a 4–1 victory over Real Madrid. This win helped Ajax knock out the defending champions. Ajax then reached the semi-finals of the competition.
On 30 April 2019, Ziyech assisted the only goal in the Champions League semi-final first leg. This was against Tottenham Hotspur. He also scored in the second leg. However, Ajax lost the game and were knocked out. In August 2019, he signed a new three-year contract with Ajax.
In the 2019–20 Champions League, Ziyech scored against Valencia and Lille. However, Ajax was eliminated in the group stage.
Chelsea: European Champion
On 14 February 2020, Ajax and Chelsea agreed on Ziyech's transfer. The fee was about 40 million euros. He joined the Premier League club for the 2020–21 season. Chelsea announced he signed a five-year contract.
Ziyech made his league debut for Chelsea on 17 October 2020. On 28 October 2020, he scored his first Chelsea goal. This was in a 4–0 away win in the Champions League. Three days later, Ziyech started his first league match. He scored a goal and made an assist. He was the first Chelsea player since Diego Costa to score in his first two starts. In Chelsea's next league match, Ziyech made two assists. He was named man of the match.
On 17 April 2021, Ziyech scored the only goal in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final. This was against Manchester City. On 29 May 2021, Ziyech won the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final with Chelsea. They beat Manchester City 1–0. He became the third Moroccan player to win this competition. Ziyech started ten matches and scored two goals in Chelsea's journey to the final.
Winning More Trophies
On 11 August 2021, Ziyech scored against Villarreal. This helped Chelsea win their first UEFA Super Cup in 23 years. They won on penalties. On 2 November, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 away win. This was in the Champions League. He equaled the record for most goals by a Moroccan in the competition.
On 18 January 2022, Ziyech scored in a 1–1 draw. On 23 January, he scored a great curling shot against Tottenham Hotspur. On 12 February, Ziyech was part of the team that won the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup title.
Challenges and Departure
In January 2023, Ziyech was close to joining Paris Saint-Germain on loan. However, the transfer did not happen due to issues with documents. He finished the season with 24 appearances for Chelsea.
Galatasaray: New Chapter in Turkey
On 19 August 2023, Süper Lig club Galatasaray announced Ziyech's arrival. He joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan. The move became permanent later.
On 16 September 2023, Ziyech made his debut for Galatasaray. He came on as a substitute and provided an assist. On 20 September, he started his first game. This was a Champions League group stage match. Three days later, he scored his first goal for Galatasaray. This was in a 2–1 win.
On 1 November 2023, Ziyech was nominated for the 2023 African Footballer of the Year award. On 29 November, he scored two goals against Manchester United in the Champions League. His contract with Galatasaray ended by mutual agreement on 29 January 2025.
Al-Duhail: Short Stay in Qatar
On 30 January 2025, Ziyech joined Qatar Stars League club Al-Duhail. He scored his first goal for the club on 8 March. This was in a 4–2 away win. On 31 May 2025, his contract was ended by mutual agreement. He left the club after four months.
International Career
Choosing His National Team
Ziyech was born in the Netherlands to a Moroccan family. This meant he could play for either the Netherlands or Morocco. He played for Dutch youth teams. He played for the under-19, under-20, and under-21 squads. However, he decided to play for Morocco's senior team. He was first called up to the Moroccan team in May 2015.
Playing for Morocco
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In September 2015, Ziyech confirmed his choice to play for Morocco. He made his debut for the national team on 9 October. On 27 May 2016, he scored his first two goals for Morocco. This was in a 2–0 win. On 4 September, Ziyech scored in a qualifying match for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
In January 2017, the Morocco manager did not select Ziyech for the Africa Cup of Nations. Ziyech then said he would not play for the team as long as that manager was in charge. The manager later apologized. Ziyech returned to the national team on 1 September. He scored in a 6–0 win. He was then chosen for the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad.
In September 2021, Ziyech was left out of the national team. The manager said it was due to his "poor attitude." On 8 February 2022, Ziyech announced he was retiring from international football. This was because of disagreements with the manager.
However, the manager was later replaced. This led Ziyech to change his mind. He rejoined the national team for a friendly match on 23 September 2022. Ziyech played very well as Morocco reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. This was a historic achievement. They became the first African team to do so. He scored one goal and made one assist in the tournament.
Ziyech speaks Dutch and English. He is a Muslim.
How Hakim Ziyech Plays Football
Ziyech is a right winger. He likes to start wide on the field. Then, he moves towards the center with the ball. He uses his strong left foot to shoot, pass, or cross the ball. He is most dangerous when he moves into central areas. From there, he can make amazing passes to teammates. These passes often lead to scoring chances.
He is very good at making soft, looping passes over defenders. These passes can trick the opposing goalkeeper. They look like they might go to the keeper, but they drop right in front of the goal. Ziyech can control the ball very well. This helps him create many chances for his team. He has great balance, speed, and quickness. He can easily get away from defenders. This allows him to create his own shooting chances.
When Ziyech moves towards the goal, defenders often follow him. This creates open spaces for his teammates. Also, his teammates know to make runs that pull defenders away. This gives Ziyech more room to shoot. When he shoots from far away, he usually tries to curve the ball into the far corner of the net.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Heerenveen II | 2012–13 | Beloften Eredivisie | 31 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 14 | ||||
| Heerenveen | 2012–13 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 31 | 9 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 36 | 11 | |||
| 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 36 | 11 | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 13 | |||
| Twente | 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 31 | 11 | 5 | 4 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 38 | 15 | ||
| 2015–16 | Eredivisie | 33 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 17 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 68 | 30 | 6 | 4 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 76 | 34 | ||||
| Ajax | 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 28 | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | 13 | 2 | — | 42 | 10 | ||
| 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 34 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 39 | 9 | |||
| 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 29 | 17 | 3 | 0 | — | 17 | 5 | — | 49 | 22 | |||
| 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 9 | ||
| Total | 112 | 39 | 7 | 1 | — | 45 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 165 | 50 | |||
| Chelsea | 2020–21 | Premier League | 23 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | 39 | 6 | |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 23 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 8 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| Total | 64 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 107 | 14 | ||
| Galatasaray | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 18 | 6 | — | — | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 8 | ||
| 2024–25 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 23 | 6 | — | — | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 8 | ||||
| Al-Duhail | 2024–25 | Qatar Stars League | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 343 | 107 | 31 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 82 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 472 | 134 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | |
| Total | 64 | 25 | |
- Morocco score listed first, score column indicates score after each Ziyech goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 May 2016 | Grand Stade de Tanger, Tangier, Morocco | 6 |  Congo |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 3 | 4 September 2016 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | 8 |  São Tomé and Príncipe |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 11 October 2016 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | 9 |  Canada |
2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 6 | 1 September 2017 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | 10 |  Mali |
1–0 | 6–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 8 | 23 March 2018 | Stadio Olimpico, Turin, Italy | 14 |  Serbia |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 9 | 9 June 2018 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | 18 |  Estonia |
2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 10 | 9 September 2018 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco | 22 |  Malawi |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | 16 November 2018 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco | 23 |  Cameroon |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 12 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 13 | 16 June 2019 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | 25 |  Zambia |
1–1 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 14 | 2–2 | ||||||
| 15 | 13 November 2020 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco | 36 |  Central African Republic |
2–1 | 4–1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 16 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 November 2020 | Reunification Stadium, Douala, Cameroon | 37 | Central African Republic |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18 | 17 November 2022 | Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | 43 |  Georgia |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 19 | 1 December 2022 | Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar | 46 | Canada |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 20 | 18 June 2023 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | 53 |  South Africa |
1–2 | 1–2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 21 | 21 November 2023 | Tanzania National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | 55 |  Tanzania |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 22 | 24 January 2024 | Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast | 59 | Zambia |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 23 | 7 June 2024 | Adrar Stadium, Agadir, Morocco | 62 | Zambia |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 24 | 6 September 2024 | Adrar Stadium, Agadir, Morocco | 64 |  Gabon |
1–0 | 4–1 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 25 | 2–0 |
Honours and Awards
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 2018–19
- KNVB Cup: 2018–19
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2019
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2016–17
Chelsea
- UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
- UEFA Super Cup: 2021
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2021
- FA Cup runner-up: 2020–21, 2021–22
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2021–22
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2023–24, 2024–25
- Turkish Super Cup: 2023
Individual Awards
- Moroccan Footballer of the Year (Mars d'Or): 2016
- UMPF Best Moroccan Player Abroad: 2019
- Ajax Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
- Ajax Goal of the Season: 2019–20
- VoetbalPrimeur Eredivisie Player of the Year: 2015–16, 2017–18
- Eredivisie Player of the Month: October 2018, August 2019
- Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2017–18
- Eredivisie Team of the Season: 2017–18, 2018–19
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2018–19
- Goal Africa Team of the Year: 2017, 2018, 2019
- France Football African Team of the Year: 2018, 2019, 2020
- CAF Team of the Year: 2019
- IFFHS CAF Men Team of The Year: 2020
- FA Cup Team of the Year: 2020–21
Orders
- Order of the Throne: 2022
See also
In Spanish: Hakim Ziyech para niños
