# Zakaria El Ouahdi

Zakaria El Ouahdi (Arabic: زَكَرِيَّا الْوَحْدِيّ; born 31 December 2001), is a professional footballer who plays as a right-winger or a right-back for Belgian Pro League club Genk. Born in Belgium, he represents Morocco internationally at youth level.

## Early life

El Ouahdi was born in Hoboken in the Antwerp Province in a family of eight children. His parents are of Moroccan descent.

## Club career

In June 2021, El Ouadhi joined the under-21 side of RWD Molenbeek. After good performances, El Ouadhi was regularly invited to train with the first team, and was awarded his first professional contract on 9 September 2021.
On 14 August 2021, he made his professional debut in Challenger Pro League in RWD Molenbeek's 3–1 victory against Royal Excel Mouscron. On 3 October, he scored his first goal in professional, awarding a 2-1 win for his club against Deinze.
On 12 March 2023, El Ouadhi scored his first career hattrick against Club NXT, offering an important 3-2 win for RWD Molenbeek for their fight for promotion. He terminated the 2022-23 season by winning the league with RWD Molenbeek and gained a promotion to the Jupiler Pro League. El Ouadhi named was as Molenbeek's player of the season and figured in the league's best XI of the season.
On 5 September 2023, El Ouahdi signed for Genk on an initial three-year deal with the option for a further twelve months.

## International career

Holding both Belgian and Moroccan citizenship, El Ouadhi chose to represent Morocco in international level. On 9 June 2023, he was called up by coach Issame Charaï in Morocco U-23 squad for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. El Ouadhi appeared in four out of five matches during the tournament, and scored one goal against Mali U-23 in the semi-final match. Morocco U-23 won the tournament as El Ouadhi figured in the competition's team of the tournament as the best right-back.
El Ouadhi earned his first senior call-up for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho in September 2024, but remained on the bench for both games.

## Career Statistics
### Club

    As of 8 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rupel Boom | 2020-21 | Belgian National Division 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| RWD Molenbeek | 2021-22 | Challenger Pro League | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| RWD Molenbeek | 2022-23 | Challenger Pro League | 25 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 7 |
| RWD Molenbeek | 2023-24 | Belgian Pro League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| RWD Molenbeek | Total | Total | 51 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 56 | 8 |
| Genk | 2023-24 | Belgian Pro League | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 |
| Genk | 2024-25 | Belgian Pro League | 26 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 5 |
| Genk | Total | Total | 50 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 56 | 5 |
| Career Total | Career Total | Career Total | 102 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 13 |

## Honours

RWD Molenbeek
* Challenger Pro League: 2022–23
Morocco U-23
* U-23 Africa Cup of Nations: 2023
* Summer Olympics Bronze Medal: 2024
Individual
* Challenger Pro League best XI: 2022–23
* U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the tournament: 2023