Nabil Dirar facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nabil Dirar | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Casablanca, Morocco | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| 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) |
| 2024–2025 | Gostivar | 19 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| Morocco U23 | 2 | (1) | |
| 2008–2019 | Morocco | 46 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 June 2025 | |||
Nabil Dirar (Arabic: نبيل درار; born on 25 February 1986) is a professional footballer from Morocco. He plays as a winger, which is a player who focuses on attacking from the sides of the field.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Belgium
Nabil Dirar was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He moved to Belgium when he was a teenager. He started his football journey at smaller clubs like RWD Molenbeek and Saint-Gilloise. In 2004, he joined Diegem Sport, which was the start of his professional career. He played 26 games for them and scored 2 goals.
His good playing caught the eye of many clubs. Westerlo signed him for three years in 2006.
Playing for Westerlo
Nabil Dirar made his first appearance for Westerlo in August 2006. He scored his first goal for the club in a cup match in October. He also helped his team by setting up goals for others. By the end of his first season, he had scored 2 goals in 35 games.
In his second season (2007–08), Dirar continued to score and assist goals. He scored his first league goal of the season in September 2007. He also helped Westerlo win big games by assisting multiple goals. However, he faced some injuries that limited his playing time.
His strong performances at Westerlo made bigger clubs interested in him. These included Ajax and Club Brugge. He decided to join Club Brugge, signing a five-year contract in May 2008.
Time at Club Brugge
First Seasons at Club Brugge
Nabil Dirar joined Club Brugge in May 2008. He quickly became a regular player for the team. He made his debut in the first game of the 2008–09 season, helping his team win 4–1. He also played in the UEFA Cup for the first time.
He scored his first goal for Club Brugge in October 2008. Dirar was known for setting up many goals for his teammates. In his first season, he played 40 games, scored 3 goals, and made 11 assists. He helped Club Brugge finish third in the league, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League.
In the 2009–10 season, Dirar continued to be an important player. He scored and assisted in the first match of the season. He faced some challenges, including being suspended for a few games and being sent to the reserve team for being late to training. Despite these issues, he returned to the first team and continued to perform well. He finished this season with 4 goals and 11 assists in 42 games.
Later Seasons at Club Brugge
Before the 2010–11 season, Dirar signed a new contract with Club Brugge. He had a few more instances where he was sent to the reserve team due to disciplinary reasons, like missing a fan day or having disagreements on the field. However, he always managed to return to the main team. He ended the 2010–11 season with 3 goals and 11 assists in 40 games.
The 2011–12 season was very productive for Dirar. He became one of the best players at the club for setting up goals, with 11 assists. He scored his first European goal in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. He also scored several league goals, including two in one game against Maribor. His strong play led to interest from French club Monaco.
Moving to Monaco
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In January 2012, Nabil Dirar joined Ligue 2 team Monaco. This was a big move, as the transfer fee was the highest Club Brugge had ever received. He made his debut for Monaco in February 2012 and scored his first goal for them soon after. He scored 3 goals in 15 games during the second half of that season.
Success and Challenges at Monaco
In the 2012–13 season, Dirar helped Monaco get promoted to Ligue 1, the top French league. He scored 3 goals in 37 games that season. However, in the final match, he suffered a serious knee injury (ruptured cruciate ligaments). This meant he was out of action for about six months.
He returned to playing in February 2014 after recovering from his injury. He scored one goal in 13 games during the 2013–14 season.
For the 2014–15 season, Dirar sometimes played as a right-back, a defensive position. He scored his first goal of the season in September 2014. He also helped Monaco win a UEFA Champions League match by assisting a goal. He finished this season with 2 goals in 41 games.
In the 2015–16 season, Dirar continued to face injuries. He also received a long suspension for an incident with a referee. Despite these challenges, he scored 2 goals in 24 games.
The 2016–17 season was a great one for Monaco. Dirar helped them reach the Champions League group stage by providing assists. He also captained the team in some matches. He scored one goal and helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title for the first time since 2000. He played 33 games that season.
Playing for Fenerbahçe
In May 2017, Nabil Dirar decided he wanted a new challenge. In June 2017, he moved to Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He signed a three-year contract.
In January 2021, Dirar returned to Club Brugge on loan until the end of the 2020–21 season.
Later Career Teams
After his loan spell, Dirar joined Kasimpașa in Turkey in September 2021. He played 6 games for them.
In September 2022, he signed with Moroccan club Chabab Mohammédia. He played 2 games there.
In 2023, Dirar joined Ishøj IF in Denmark, but he retired from football a couple of months later due to ongoing calf injuries. However, he later joined FC Schifflange 95 in Luxembourg in 2024. As of July 2025, he is playing for Gostivar.
International Career
Nabil Dirar has both Belgian and Moroccan citizenship. This meant he could choose to play for either the Belgian or Moroccan national team. He played for the Morocco U23 team.
He eventually decided to play for Morocco. He earned his first cap (first game) for the senior Moroccan team in October 2008 in a World Cup qualification match.
After a break from the national team, Dirar returned in March 2015, playing as a right-back. In May 2018, he was chosen to be part of Morocco's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, which is a huge honor for any footballer.
Personal Life
Nabil Dirar grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, in a challenging environment. His father passed away when Nabil was very young. His mother, who worked as a housekeeper, raised eleven children. His brothers helped support the family.
Dirar has said that he didn't enjoy school much and sometimes skipped classes. However, he did take auto mechanic classes for two years. He is also good friends with his Moroccan teammate Mbark Boussoufa.
Nabil Dirar got married in 2011. In 2012, he became a father to a daughter named Layana. He is a Muslim.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Club Brugge | 2008–09 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 39 | 3 | |
| 2009–10 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | 42 | 4 | |||
| 2010–11 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 40 | 3 | |||
| 2011–12 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 8 | 4 | 31 | 9 | |||
| Total | 117 | 14 | 5 | 1 | — | 30 | 4 | 152 | 19 | |||
| Monaco | 2011–12 | French Ligue 2 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 3 | |
| 2012–13 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 3 | |||
| 2013–14 | French Ligue 1 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| Total | 125 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 167 | 12 | ||
| Fenerbahçe | 2017–18 | Turkish Süper Lig | 29 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | 37 | 5 | |
| 2018–19 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |||
| Total | 73 | 7 | 11 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | 89 | 8 | |||
| Club Brugge (loan) | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Kasimpașa | 2021–22 | Turkish Süper Lig | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Chabab Mohammédia | 2022–23 | Moroccan Botola Pro | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Career total | 348 | 33 | 24 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 64 | 5 | 443 | 39 | ||
International
| Morocco | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 | 4 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 | 6 | 1 |
| 2017 | 13 | 1 |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 48 | 3 |
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 |
Honours
Club
Monaco
Club Brugge
- Belgian First Division A: 2020–21
See also
In Spanish: Nabil Dirar para niños
