Yassine Khalifi

Yassine Khalifi (Arabic: ياسين الخليفي; born 9 August 2005) is a Moroccan footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Lille.

Yassine Khalifi
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-08-09) 9 August 2005
Place of birth Rabat, Morocco[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lille B
Youth career
Marrakech Academy
Mohammed VI Football Academy
2022–2023 → Union Touarga (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023 → Union Touarga (loan) 2 (0)
2023– Lille B 1 (0)
International career
2020–2021 Morocco U17
2022 Morocco U18 5 (2)
2022– Morocco U20
2023– Morocco U23 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 October 2023

Club career

Khalifi started his career at the Mohammed VI Football Academy, where he featured in various competitions for the side, including the Alkass International Cup.[2] His performances for the youth academy reportedly caught the eye of Spanish side Atlético Madrid.[3] He moved to top-flight Botola side Union Touarga on loan in September 2022.[4] In the same month, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2005 worldwide.[5][6]

On 7 September 2023, following two appearances in the Botola for Union Touarga, Khalifi was signed by French Ligue 1 side Lille.[7]

International career

Khalifi was first called up to the Morocco under-17 side in 2020 for a game against Tunisia.[8] This was followed up with another call-up in January 2021, for a training camp.[9] The following year, he was called up by the under-18 side for the Mediterranean Games. He scored a penalty in a 1–1 draw with Spain to send his team through to the semi-finals.[10][11] He followed this up with another penalty goal in a 2–1 loss to Italy in the semi-final match.[12]

He was called up to the Moroccan under-20 side for the 2022 Arab Cup U-20, and scored in a 4–2 group stage win against Sudan.[13] Later in the same year, he featured in friendly matches against Chile and England.[1] He also featured in the 2022 UNAF U-20 Tournament as Morocco finished third.[14]

Career statistics

Club
As of 5 June 2023.[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Union Touarga 2022–23 Botola 20000020
2023–24 00000000
Total 20000020
Lille B 2023–24 Championnat National 2 10–0010
Career total 30000030
Notes

    References
    1. Yassine Khalifi at WorldFootball.net
    2. "Sadik's hat-trick in Mohammed VI Academy win". gulf-times.com. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    3. "كشافة أتلتيكو مدريد في وهران لمراقبة المغربي ياسين خليفي" [Atletico Madrid scouts in Oran to monitor Moroccan Yassine Khleifi]. winwin.com (in Arabic). 1 July 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    4. Thompson, Andrew (1 February 2023). "Ones to Watch; 2022-23 - Number 9: Yassine Khalifi". 101greatgoals.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    5. Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (28 September 2022). "Next Generation 2022: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
    6. "صحيفة "الغارديان" تضع المغربي ياسين خليفي ضمن "أفضل 60 موهبة" في العالم من مواليد 2005" [The Guardian newspaper places Moroccan Yassine Khalifi among the "60 best talents" in the world, born in 2005]. m.elbotola.com (in Arabic). 29 September 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    7. "L'international U20 Marocain Yassine Khalifi rejoint le LOSC (Pro 2)" [Moroccan U20 international Yassine Khalifi joins LOSC (Pro 2)]. losc.fr (in French). 7 September 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
    8. "تشكيلة المنتخب الوطني لأقل من 17 سنة أمام المنتخب التونسي" [The national team squad for under-17 in front of the Tunisian national team]. site.frmf.ma (in Arabic). 11 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    9. "U-17 National Football Team in Preparation Training in Maamora". en.hespress.com. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    10. "المنتخب الوطني لأقل من 18 سنة يتأهل لنصف نهاية دورة ألعاب البحر الأبيض المتوسط" [The U-18 national team qualifies for the semi-finals of the Mediterranean Games]. site.frmf.ma (in Arabic). 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    11. Lantheaume, Romain (30 June 2022). "Jeux Méditerranéens d'Oran : la France élimine l'Algérie, le Maroc qualifié" [Mediterranean Games in Oran: France eliminates Algeria, Morocco qualified]. afrik-foot.com (in French). Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    12. "المنتخب الوطني لاقل من 18 سنة ينهزم أمام المنتخب الايطالي" [The national team under 18 years old is defeated by the Italian team]. site.frmf.ma (in Arabic). 2 July 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    13. "«عربية الشباب».. المغرب يجتاز السودان برباعية" [Arab Youth" .. Morocco overtakes Sudan in a quadruple"]. arriyadiyah.com (in Arabic). 22 July 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    14. Yassine Khalifi at Global Sports Archive
    15. Yassine Khalifi at Soccerway
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