Hakim Ziyech facts for kids
Ziyech with Chelsea in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 March 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Dronten, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Right winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Galatasaray | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | Reaal Dronten | ||
| 2004–2007 | ASV Dronten | ||
| 2007–2012 | Heerenveen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2012–2013 | Heerenveen II | 33 | (14) |
| 2012–2014 | Heerenveen | 36 | (11) |
| 2014–2016 | Twente | 68 | (30) |
| 2016–2020 | Ajax | 112 | (39) |
| 2020–2024 | Chelsea | 64 | (6) |
| 2023–2024 | → Galatasaray (loan) | 18 | (6) |
| 2024– | Galatasaray | 5 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2012–2013 | Netherlands U20 | 3 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Netherlands U21 | 3 | (2) |
| 2015– | Morocco | 64 | (25) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Hakim Ziyech (born 19 March 1993) is a professional footballer. He plays as a right winger or an attacking midfielder for Süper Lig club Galatasaray. He was born in the Netherlands. Ziyech is the captain of the Morocco national team. His fans at his old club Ajax called him "The Wizard".
Ziyech began his career at Dutch club Heerenveen in 2012. Two years later, he joined another Dutch club, Twente. In 2016, he signed a five-year deal with Ajax. The transfer fee was about €11 million. The 2018–19 season was his best at Ajax. He scored 16 goals and made 13 assists in the Eredivisie. Overall, he scored 21 goals and made 24 assists that season. He then moved to English club Chelsea for the 2020–21 season.
Because he was born in the Netherlands, Ziyech could play for either the Netherlands or Morocco. He chose to play for Morocco. He has played for 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 dribbling and long passes. He is also good at scoring goals and taking 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, The Guardian newspaper ranked him 29th among the world's best footballers.
Since joining the national team in 2015, Ziyech has given away all his earnings. He donates his international play bonuses to charities or to the team staff.
Contents
Early Life and Football Dreams
Hakim Ziyech was born in Dronten, Netherlands. He is the youngest of nine children. His parents were from Tafoughalt, a village in Morocco. Like many Moroccans, his father moved to the Netherlands for work. Hakim's mother joined him later.
Ziyech grew up playing football with his brothers and friends. They played for hours on a special football court near his home. He quickly fell in love with the sport. He often watched famous players like Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane on YouTube. He said he watched their videos every day when he was ten.
At age seven, Ziyech asked his father to sign him up for a football club. In 2001, he started playing for Reaal Dronten. There, he met Aziz Doufikar, a former professional player. Doufikar became a big inspiration for Hakim. Ziyech spent most of his time playing football. He said, "I went to school half an hour earlier every day with the ball. During lunch break, I played football. After school, I went outside again to play."
When Ziyech was ten, his father passed away after a long illness. This was a very difficult time for him. His family faced many challenges. For a while, he felt like giving up on football. But his older brother, Faouzi, encouraged him to keep playing.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Heerenveen
With help from Aziz Doufikar and his brother, Ziyech returned to football. He played for youth teams at Reaal Dronten and ASV Dronten. At 14, he had trials with SC Heerenveen and Ajax. He impressed Heerenveen and joined their academy in 2007. Ajax thought he was too small at the time.
Ziyech worked hard at Heerenveen. At 17, he was promoted to the first team in January 2012. In April 2012, he signed his first professional contract. He made his official debut for Heerenveen on 2 August 2012. This was in a UEFA Europa League match. He scored his first goal for the club a year later, in August 2013. He continued to score and assist goals for Heerenveen.
Moving to Twente
On 18 August 2014, Ziyech joined Twente for €3.5 million. He signed a three-year contract and wore the number 10 shirt. He quickly became a key player. In the 2014–15 season, he scored 11 goals and made 15 assists. For the 2015–16 season, he was chosen as the team captain. He had a fantastic season, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists.
Success with Ajax
On 30 August 2016, Ziyech signed with Ajax for €11 million. He signed a five-year deal. He scored his first goal for Ajax in September 2016. He also scored in the Europa League.
In the 2018–19 Champions League, Ziyech played a huge role. He scored against Real Madrid in the round of 16. Ajax famously beat Real Madrid 4–1 in the second leg. They then knocked out Juventus to reach the semi-finals. Ziyech scored in the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. Ajax narrowly lost that match. In August 2019, he signed a new three-year contract with Ajax. He continued to score important goals in the Champions League.
Joining Chelsea
On 14 February 2020, it was announced that Ziyech would join Chelsea. The transfer fee was €40 million. He joined the Premier League club for the 2020–21 season. He signed a five-year contract.
Ziyech made his league debut for Chelsea on 17 October 2020. He scored his first Chelsea goal on 28 October in the Champions League. A few days later, he scored and assisted in his first league start. He became the first Chelsea player since Diego Costa to score in his first two starts.
On 17 April 2021, Ziyech scored the only goal in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. On 29 May 2021, Chelsea won the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester City. Ziyech was part of the squad that won the Champions League.
In August 2021, Ziyech scored against Villarreal to help Chelsea win the 2021 UEFA Super Cup. In February 2022, Chelsea won the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup title. Ziyech was a substitute in that final.
Loan and Permanent Move to Galatasaray
In August 2023, Ziyech moved to Süper Lig club Galatasaray on a season-long loan. The deal included an option to make the move permanent.
He made his debut for Galatasaray on 16 September 2023. He provided an assist in a 4–2 win. On 23 September, he scored his first goal for Galatasaray. On 29 November, he scored two goals in a Champions League match against Manchester United. On 28 June 2024, Ziyech officially signed for Galatasaray permanently.
International Career
Playing for Morocco
Ziyech was born in the Netherlands to Moroccan parents. This meant he could choose to play for either the Netherlands or Morocco. He played for Dutch youth teams, including the under-19, under-20, and under-21 squads. However, he decided to play for the Morocco national team at the senior level.
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In September 2015, Ziyech confirmed his choice to represent Morocco. He made his debut for Morocco on 9 October. On 27 May 2016, he scored his first two goals for Morocco. He continued to score in qualifying matches for the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.
In 2017, the Morocco manager did not pick Ziyech for the Africa Cup of Nations. Ziyech then said he would not play for the team as long as that coach was in charge. The coach later apologized, and Ziyech returned to the team. He was selected for the 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
In September 2021, Ziyech was left out of the national team again. The manager said it was due to a "poor attitude." Ziyech then announced his retirement from international football at age 28. However, when a new coach, Walid Regragui, took over in August 2022, Ziyech rejoined the team.
Ziyech played a key role as Morocco made history at the 2022 World Cup. They became the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Ziyech scored one goal and provided one assist in the tournament.
How Hakim Ziyech Plays
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 stronger left foot to shoot, pass, or cross. He is very dangerous when he moves into central areas. From there, he can make amazing passes to teammates running towards the goal.
He is especially good at making soft, looping passes over defenders. These passes often create clear scoring chances for his teammates. His movement also allows the right-back defender to run forward and join the attack.
Ziyech can control the ball incredibly 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 he shoots from far away, he usually tries to curve the ball into the far corner of the goal.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Heerenveen II | 2012–13 | Beloften Eredivisie | 33 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 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 (loan) | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 8 | |
| Galatasaray | 2024–25 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 8 | |||
| Career total | 336 | 106 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 82 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 461 | 133 | ||
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
- Turkish Super Cup: 2023
Individual Awards
- (Mars d'Or) Moroccan Footballer of the Year: 2016
- UMFP Best Moroccan player abroad: 2019
- Ajax Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
- SC Heerenveen Player of the Year: 2013–14
- FC Twente Player of the Year: 2014–15
- Ajax Goal of the Season: 2019–20
- Eredivisie VP Player of the Year: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
- Eredivisie Player of the Month: October 2018, August 2019
- Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2017–18
- Eredivisie Team of the Year: 2015–16, 2016–17, 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
