Mehdi Ballouchy facts for kids

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Mehdi Ballouchy

Personal information
Full name	Mehdi Ballouchy
Date of birth	(1983-04-06) April 6, 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Casablanca, Morocco
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1996–1999	SCC Mohammédia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005	Boulder Rapids Reserve	2	(0)
2006–2007	Real Salt Lake	46	(2)
2007–2010	Colorado Rapids	77	(7)
2010–2012	New York Red Bulls	51	(4)
2012–2013	San Jose Earthquakes	11	(0)
2014	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	7	(0)
2014	→ Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 (loan)	1	(0)
2015–2016	New York City FC	24	(3)
Total		218	(16)
National team
1999	Morocco U16	3	(0)
2000	Morocco U17	6	(2)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 5, 2017. † Appearances (Goals).

Mehdi Ballouchy (born April 6, 1983) is a retired Moroccan professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both in defense and attack. After he stopped playing, he became a coach for New York City FC.

Mehdi Ballouchy's Football Journey

Starting Out in Morocco and the USA

Mehdi Ballouchy began his football journey at a young age. When he was 13, he joined a club called SCC Mohammédia in Morocco. He played there until he was 16 years old.

In 2000, Mehdi moved to the United States. He first lived with his brother in Denver. Later, he went to Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California, where he stayed with a host family. He also played college soccer for a year at Creighton and two years at Santa Clara. In 2005, he was named a top college player, known as a first team all-American. He also played briefly for Boulder Rapids Reserve.

Playing Professionally in Major League Soccer

Mehdi Ballouchy became a professional player in MLS. He was chosen second overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake.

Time with Real Salt Lake

At Real Salt Lake, Mehdi played in 46 league games. He scored 2 goals and helped set up 2 others.

Moving to Colorado Rapids

In July 2007, Mehdi was traded to the Colorado Rapids. He played mostly as an attacking midfielder, helping to create chances for his team. Sometimes, he also played on the right side of the midfield. For the Colorado Rapids, he played in 77 league games. He scored 7 goals and made 18 assists. His best season with Colorado was in 2009. That year, he played in 28 games, scored two goals, and helped with seven assists.

Playing for New York Red Bulls

On September 14, 2010, Mehdi joined the New York Red Bulls. Their coach was looking for a player like him to boost the team's attack. Just two days later, Mehdi played his first game for New York. He wore the number 10 shirt and even scored a goal in a 2–2 draw against FC Dallas.

Later that year, on October 21, 2010, Mehdi helped the Red Bulls win 2–0 against New England Revolution. This win helped New York become the champions of the Eastern Conference for the regular season. In 2011, he also helped his team win a playoff match against FC Dallas. He assisted Joel Lindpere in scoring the first goal of the game.

Joining San Jose Earthquakes

On July 30, 2012, Mehdi was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes in California. He played in 6 games there. Unfortunately, he then suffered a serious knee injury that kept him from playing for the rest of that season and the start of the next.

Short Stays with Vancouver and New York City FC

Mehdi was chosen by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in December 2013 and joined them in January 2014. He played 7 games for them.

Then, on December 10, 2014, New York City FC picked Mehdi in the MLS Expansion Draft. He was given the number 20 shirt.

Mehdi Ballouchy announced that he was retiring from playing football on November 18, 2016. After he stopped playing, he started coaching at the New York City academy. In January 2020, he was promoted to be an assistant coach for the first team.

Playing for His Country

Before moving to the United States, Mehdi Ballouchy played for different youth Moroccan national teams. This included the Moroccan Under-16 and Under-17 teams. However, he was never called to play for the main Moroccan national team as a senior player.

Mehdi's Family Life

Mehdi's parents are Driss and Malika Ballouchy. His father, Driss, used to be a professional football player in the second division in France. In January 2013, Mehdi received a U.S. green card. This meant he was considered a domestic player for MLS teams.

Career Statistics

Season	Club	Country	Level	Apps	Goals
2006	Real Salt Lake		I	32	2
2007	Real Salt Lake		I	14	0
2007	Colorado Rapids		I	9	1
2008	Colorado Rapids		I	19	1
2009	Colorado Rapids		I	28	2
2010	Colorado Rapids		I	21	3
2010	New York Red Bulls		I	6	1
2011	New York Red Bulls		I	29	2
2012	New York Red Bulls		I	16	1
2012	San Jose Earthquakes		I	6	0
2013	San Jose Earthquakes		I	5	0
2014	Vancouver Whitecaps FC		I	7	0
2015	New York City FC		I	19	3
2016	New York City FC		I	5	0

Awards and Achievements

New York Red Bulls

• MLS Eastern Conference 2010 (This means his team won their division in the regular season!)

Individual Awards

• NYCFC Etihad Player of the month — May 2015 (He was chosen as the best player for his team that month!)

See also

In Spanish: Mehdi Ballouchy para niños