Ayman El Wafi

Ayman El Wafi (Arabic: ايمن الوافي, pronounced [ˈaj.ma:n al.wa:fi]; born 18 September 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Swiss Super League club FC Lugano. Born in Italy, El Wafi represents Morocco at youth international level.

Ayman El Wafi
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-05-11) 11 May 2004
Place of birth Camaiore, Italy
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 FC Lugano
Number 22
Youth career
2015–2021 Livorno
2021–2023 Hellas Verona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– FC Lugano 1 (0)
International career‡
2022– Morocco U20 6 (0)
2023– Morocco U23 5 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Morocco
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
WinnerMorocco 2023U-23 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:00, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:50, 8 July 2023 (UTC)

Early life

Born and raised in Camaiore, Italy to Moroccan parents, El Wafi relocated to Tangier with his family in 2012, aged eight, following the death of his father; he moved back to his country of birth three years later.[1]

Club career

In the summer of 2015, shortly after his return to Italy, El Wafi was noticed by several scouts from Livorno at a local youth tournament, and subsequently joined the club's youth sector.[1] In February 2021, he joined Hellas Verona's academy,[2][3] as a consequence of Livorno's financial crisis.[1] Having come through the club's youth ranks, the defender started training with Verona's first team during the 2022–23 season, under head coach Marco Zaffaroni,[4] while establishing himself as a regular starter for the under-19 team.[5][6]

On 8 June 2023, it was officially announced that El Wafi would join Swiss side FC Lugano on a free transfer from 1 July, having signed a four-year contract with the Ticinese club.[5][7][8] On 29 July, he made his professional debut for the club, coming on as a substitute for Kreshnik Hajrizi in the 57th minute of a 1–0 league win over St. Gallen.[9][10]

International career

El Wafi has represented Morocco at several youth international levels, having played for the under-20 and under-23 national teams.[4][5][11]

In October 2022, he took part in the 2022 UNAF U-20 Tournament in Egypt, which served as a qualifying round for the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.[12]

After making his debut for the under-23 national team in March 2023,[13][14] El Wafi was included in the squad for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco itself.[15][16] As the youngest player in the squad, he played four games throughout the tournament,[6] where the Atlas Lions won their first title[17][18] and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[17][19]

Style of play

El Wafi has been described as a left-footed centre-back, who can play indifferently in a back-four or a back-three and has good physical and technical attributes.[4][7]

Honours

Morocco U23

References
  1. Lunari, Alessandro (2 August 2023). "«Vi prometto che tra due anni sarò in una big»". Cronache di spogliatoio (in Italian). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  2. Lorini, Simone; Conterio, Simone (1 February 2021). "TMW - Hellas Verona, preso dal Livorno il giovane Ayman El Wafi. Contratto depositato". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. Zupo, Mattia (1 February 2021). "Settore giovanile, depositato il contratto di El Wafi". Calcio Hellas (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  4. Zupo, Mattia (9 March 2023). "El Wafi, il muro marocchino che si allena agli ordini di Zaffaroni". Calcio Hellas (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. Andreuccetti, Gianluca (8 June 2023). "UFFICIALE - Verona, ceduto El Wafi al Lugano: i dettagli". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  6. "Da Abde a El Wafi: il Marocco U23 vince la Coppa d'Africa e va a Parigi 2024". Gianluca Di Marzio (in Italian). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  7. "Ayman El Wafi è il primo rinforzo del Lugano". RSI (in Italian). 8 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  8. Pagani, Daniele (8 June 2023). "DALL'HELLAS VERONA ARRIVA AYMAN EL WAFI". FC Lugano (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  9. "Il Lugano inaugura al meglio il nuovo Cornaredo". RSI (in Italian). 29 July 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  10. "FC Lugano - FC St.Gallen 1879 - Beendet - Super League - 2. Runde". SRF (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  11. Schirru, Francesco (23 January 2023). "L'ingenuità di El Wafi: tocca il pallone con le mani dopo il passaggio del portiere". Goal.com (in Italian). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  12. "تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لاقل من20 سنة امام تونس" (in Arabic). Royal Moroccan Football Federation. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  13. "MATCH AMICAL U23 Maroc-Côte d'Ivoire feuille de match". Royal Moroccan Football Federation (in French). 22 March 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  14. "المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 23 سنة يفوز على اوزبكستان". Royal Moroccan Football Federation (in Arabic). 27 March 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  15. "Sei bianconeri con le nazionali". FC Lugano (in Italian). 9 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  16. "تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 23 سنة امام غينيا". Royal Moroccan Football Federation (in Arabic). 24 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  17. "Morocco win maiden TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations title with victory over Egypt". CAFOnline.com. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  18. "Le Maroc remporte la CAN U23 au bout de la prolongation". SO FOOT.com (in French). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  19. "Le Mali, le Maroc et l'Égypte qualifiés pour les JO 2024". SO FOOT.com (in French). 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
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