Nabil Dirar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nabil Dirar

Personal information
Date of birth	(1986-02-25) 25 February 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Casablanca, Morocco
Height	1.87 m
Playing position	Right winger
Club information
Current club	K.F. Gostivari
Number	14
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2006	Diegem Sport	26	(2)
2006–2008	Westerlo	57	(3)
2008–2012	Club Brugge	114	(11)
2012–2017	Monaco	125	(12)
2017–2021	Fenerbahçe	73	(7)
2021	→ Club Brugge (loan)	2	(0)
2021–2022	Kasımpaşa	6	(0)
2022–2023	Chabab Mohammédia	1	(0)
2023	Ishøj IF	0	(0)
2024–	FC Schifflange 95	15	(0)
National team
–	Morocco U23	2	(1)
2008–2019	Morocco	46	(3)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 June 2024. † Appearances (Goals).

Nabil Dirar (born 25 February 1986) is a professional footballer from Morocco. He plays as a winger for K.F. Gostivari. Nabil briefly stopped playing football in July 2023 but returned to the field in 2024.

Nabil Dirar's Football Journey

Starting His Career

Nabil Dirar was born in Casablanca, Morocco. When he was a teenager, he moved to Belgium. He started his football journey at clubs like RWD Molenbeek and Saint-Gilloise. In 2004, he joined Diegem Sport, which was the start of his professional career. He played there for two years, scoring 2 goals in 26 games.

His good playing caught the eye of many clubs. Westerlo was one of them, and they signed him for three years in 2006.

Playing for Westerlo

First Season at Westerlo (2006–07)

Nabil made his first appearance for Westerlo in the opening match of the 2006–07 season. He came in as a substitute in a game they lost 2–1. He scored his first goal for Westerlo in a cup match on 21 October, helping his team win 1–0. He also helped his team by setting up goals for others. By the end of the season, he had scored 2 goals in 35 games.

Second Season at Westerlo (2007–08)

In the 2007–08 season, Nabil scored his first goal on 24 September 2007. He also made two assists in a big 6–0 win. Later, he scored one goal and assisted two others in a 7–2 victory. However, he faced some injuries during this season, which limited him to 25 games.

Nabil's skills at Westerlo made other big clubs interested in him, including Ajax and Club Brugge. He decided to join Club Brugge, signing a five-year contract in May 2008.

Time at Club Brugge

Joining Club Brugge (2008–09)

Nabil joined Club Brugge on 21 May 2008. He played his first game for them in the opening match of the 2008–09 season, which they won 4–1. He also made his first appearance in the UEFA Cup. Nabil scored his first goal for Club Brugge in a local derby match on 19 October, helping his team win 3–1.

He quickly became a regular player and helped his team by making many assists. He scored his second goal of the season on 31 January 2009. By the end of his first season, he had played 40 games, scored 3 goals, and made 11 assists. His team finished third in the league, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

Second Season at Club Brugge (2009–10)

Before the 2009–10 season, some English clubs were interested in Nabil. But he stayed at Club Brugge. He scored and assisted a goal in the first match of the season. During this season, he faced some challenges, including a suspension for a disagreement with an opponent and being late for training.

He returned to the first team in October and later scored his second goal of the season in December. Nabil also had an injury in early February. He finished the season with 4 goals and 11 assists in 42 games.

Third Season at Club Brugge (2010–11)

Nabil signed a new contract with Club Brugge before the 2010–11 season. However, he was sent to the reserve team a couple of times for not attending events or for fouls during games.

He scored his first goal of the season in November and his second in the next match. In December, he was sent off in a game but returned to score and assist again. Later in the season, he had a disagreement with a teammate during a game about who should take a free-kick. This led to him being sent to the reserve team again. He apologized for his behavior.

He was brought back to the first team for the playoffs and played in all the matches. He ended the season with 3 goals and 11 assists in 40 games.

Final Season at Club Brugge (2011–12)

In the 2011–12 season, Nabil was one of the best players at Club Brugge, making the most assists for the team (11). He started the season well, scoring his first European goal in a UEFA Europa League qualifying match. He scored again in the group stage and his first league goal in September. Between October and November, he scored seven goals in six games, including two goals in a Europa League match.

In January 2012, French club Monaco made an offer for him. He joined Monaco, saying it was an offer he couldn't refuse.

Moving to AS Monaco

First Season at Monaco (2011–12)

Nabil Dirar playing for Monaco in 2015.

Nabil Dirar joined Ligue 2 side Monaco on 31 January 2012. This was the highest transfer fee Club Brugge had ever received for a player at that time. He made his debut for Monaco on 13 February 2012. Nine days later, he scored his first goal for the team. He scored two more goals that season, finishing with 3 goals in 15 games.

Second Season at Monaco (2012–13)

In the 2012–13 season, Nabil started well, assisting a goal in the first match. He scored his first goal of the season in February 2013. He helped the club get promoted back to Ligue 1, the top French league. However, in the final match of the season, he suffered a serious knee injury, which meant he would be out for about six months. He finished the season with 3 goals in 37 games.

Return from Injury (2013–14)

Nabil spent the start of the 2013–14 season recovering from his injury. After seven months, he returned to training in January 2014. He made his first team return on 1 February 2014. He scored his first goal of the season in May. He played 13 games and scored 1 goal this season.

Playing in Ligue 1 (2014–15)

In the 2014–15 season, Nabil started playing as a right-back. He scored his first goal of the season in September. He also helped his team win a UEFA Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen by setting up the only goal.

After another injury, he returned to the team in January 2015. He even captained Monaco for the first time in a Champions League match against Arsenal, which they won 3–1. He scored his second goal of the season in March. He played 41 games and scored 2 goals this season.

Challenges and Success (2015–16)

Nabil started the 2015–16 season well, playing in all seven matches in the league and European qualifiers. However, he suffered an ankle injury in August. He returned in September and scored his first goal of the season. He later received a red card for a disagreement with the referee, which led to an eight-match ban.

After his ban, he returned to the team in April and scored his second goal of the season. He finished the season with 2 goals in 24 games.

Winning the League (2016–17)

In the 2016–17 season, Nabil started strong, providing two assists in a Champions League qualifying match. He was also given the captain's armband in some matches. He suffered a calf injury in a Champions League game, which kept him out for six weeks.

He returned in November and continued to captain the team in some important matches. He scored an equalizer in a league game in April. He then suffered another injury that kept him out for the rest of the season. Monaco won the league for the first time since 2000, and Nabil was one of the players who had won both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 with the club. He scored 1 goal in 33 games this season.

Moving to Fenerbahçe

In May 2017, Nabil wanted to try a new adventure. On 16 June 2017, he joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He signed a three-year contract.

In January 2021, Nabil returned to his former club, Club Brugge, on loan until the end of the season.

Later Career

On 3 September 2021, Nabil joined Kasimpașa in Turkey. A year later, on 9 September 2022, he signed with Moroccan club Chabab Mohammédia.

After playing his last game with Mohammédia in November 2022, Nabil signed with a Danish club, Ishøj IF. However, he later decided to retire from football due to ongoing calf injuries. But he came back to play again half a year later, joining FC Schifflange 95 in Luxembourg.

Playing for His Country

Nabil Dirar with the Moroccan squad in 2009.

Nabil Dirar has both Belgian and Moroccan nationalities. He played for the Morocco U23 team. He initially thought about playing for Belgium but later decided to play for Morocco, saying he felt more Moroccan.

He earned his first cap (first game) for the Morocco senior team on 11 October 2008, in a World Cup qualification match. His international career had some ups and downs, including disagreements with a former Morocco manager.

After a six-year break, Nabil returned to the national team on 28 March 2015. In May 2018, he was chosen to be part of Morocco's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Nabil Dirar's Personal Life

Nabil Dirar was born in Casablanca, Morocco, and grew up in a challenging environment. His father passed away when Nabil was very young, and his mother, who worked as a housekeeper, raised eleven children. His brothers helped support the family.

Nabil has shared that he didn't enjoy school much and would often skip classes and exams. Despite this, he took auto mechanic classes for two years. He is also good friends with his Moroccan teammate, Mbark Boussoufa. In 2012, Nabil became a father to a daughter named Layana. He is a Muslim.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

International Goals

Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first.

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	5 September 2015	Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe	São Tomé and Príncipe	3–0	3–0	2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.	3 June 2016	Stade Olympique de Radès, Tunis, Tunisia	Libya	1–0	1–1
3.	11 November 2017	Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast	Ivory Coast	1–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Trophies and Achievements

Club Honours

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 2016–17 (Top French League)
• Ligue 2: 2012–13 (Second French League)

Club Brugge

• Belgian First Division A: 2020–21 (Top Belgian League)

Images for kids

• 

  Nabil Dirar in August 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Nabil Dirar para niños