Youns El Hilali

Youns Gabriele El Hilali (born 8 June 2003) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a forward for Dutch Eerste Divisie club Cambuur.

Youns El Hilali
Personal information
Full name Youns Gabriele El Hilali
Date of birth (2003-06-08) 8 June 2003
Place of birth Milan, Italy
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, forward
Team information
Current team
 Cambuur
Number 12
Youth career
0000 Alcione
0000–2014 Accademia Inter
2014–2015 Novara
2015–2023 AC Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Cambuur 8 (2)
International career‡
2019 Italy U16 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 05:32, 1 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 April 2019

Club career

Born in Milan,[1][2] El Hilali started playing football at local clubs Alcione and Accademia Inter, before joining Novara in 2014,[1] and then entering AC Milan's youth sector the following year.[1][3]

Having come through the club's youth ranks,[3][4] he began playing for the under-19 team from the 2021–22 season;[2][4] in the following campaign, he was made vice-captain of the side,[3][4] while also starting training with the first team, under manager Stefano Pioli.[3][5] Having taken part in a training camp with the first team in Dubai during the league's winter break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,[3][4] the striker went on to help AC Milan's under-19 team reach the UEFA Youth League semi-finals for the first time in their history,[2][6] as they eventually got eliminated by Hajduk Split.[7][8]

On 12 July 2023, El Hilali joined Dutch side Cambuur on a permanent deal, signing a two-year contract with the club, with an option for another year.[9][10] In the process, he became Cambuur's first ever Italian player.[11] On 11 August of the same year, he made his professional debut for the club, coming on as a substitute for Alex Bangura in the 86th minute of a 2–2 league draw against Emmen.[12] On 17 September, he scored his first professional goal, netting the winner in a 1–0 league victory over Willem II.[13]

International career

El Hilali is eligible to represent either Italy or Morocco internationally.[4]

He played for the Italian under-16 national team in 2019,[14] and then received call-ups from the under-17 and under-18 national teams.[15][16]

Style of play

El Hilali is an attacking midfielder,[1][2] who can also play as a winger on both sides,[1] or as a centre-forward.[3][4] He has been regarded for his technique and his dribbling skills.[1][4]

Personal life

El Hilali was born in Milan by a Moroccan father and an Italian mother.[2]

He is the younger brother of fellow footballer Mattia El Hilali (b. 1998),[2][4] who similarly played for AC Milan's youth teams and represented Italy at youth international level.[2][3]

References
  1. "Gabriele El Hilali, creatività e fantasia per il Diavolo". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  2. Pietrella, Francesco (15 March 2023). "Da Nava a El Hilali: chi sono i ragazzi di Abate che hanno scritto la storia". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  3. Pietrella, Francesco (18 December 2022). "El Hilali nel nome del fratello, Bozzolan non trema coi big: forze fresche per il Milan". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  4. Ben Berkane, Hanif (20 January 2023). "AC Milan : Youns Gabriele El Hilali, la pépite italo-marocaine qui pourrait partir libre cet été". Foot Mercato (in French). Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  5. Zampini, Matteo (4 July 2022). "Milan, di El Hilali il primo gol stagionale. Bene anche gli altri Primavera". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  6. Pietrella, Francesco (14 March 2023). "Un gol per tempo: il Milan elimina l'Atletico e vola alle Final Four di Nyon". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. Antonelli, Michele (21 April 2023). "Sfortuna e ingenuità, il Milan crolla sul più bello. In finale ci va l'Hajduk spinto da 17mila tifosi". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  8. Gualano, Leonardo (21 April 2023). "Youth League, Hajduk-Milan 3-1: si spegne in semifinale il sogno dei rossoneri". Goal.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  9. "TRANSFER: Youns El Hilali van AC Milan naar SC Cambuur". SC Cambuur (in Dutch). 12 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  10. "SC Cambuur hengelt spits van AC Milan binnen". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 12 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  11. "INTERVIEW: Aanwinst Youns El Hilali stelt zich voor". SC Cambuur (in Dutch). 13 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  12. "SC Cambuur-FC Emmen (11-08-2023)". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 11 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  13. "Cambuur klopt Willem II dankzij heerlijke pegel El Hilali, duel even stilgelegd". NOS (in Dutch). 17 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  14. "Youns El Hilali - U16 Friendlies - 2019". Worldfootball.net. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  15. "La stagione degli Azzurrini si è aperta con uno stage a Coverciano". Italian Football Federation (in Italian). 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  16. "Nunziata convoca 25 giocatori per l'amichevole contro l'Austria". Italian Football Federation (in Italian). 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
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