Kerim Mrabti

Kerim Mrabti
Abdallah Kerim Mrabti (born 20 May 1994) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian First Division A club KV Mechelen.
He began his career with Enköpings SK, and moved on to for IK Sirius and Djurgårdens IF, with whom he won the 2017–18 Svenska Cupen. In January 2019, he joined English EFL Championship (second-tier) club Birmingham City on an 18-month contract, and signed for KV Mechelen in August 2020. He made his senior international debut for Sweden in 2016.
Career
Mrabti was born in Stockholm and moved to Enköping as a five-year-old. He started out playing for the local club Enköpings SK. At 17 he played a big part in Enköping winning their fourth tier league and getting promoted. After the following season had ended in November 2012 he trialed with Uppsala-based club IK Sirius and impressed enough to be signed on a two-year deal.
After two seasons with IK Sirius, one in the third tier and the next in the second-tier Superettan, Mrabti was sold to Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF in early 2015 for 600,000–700,000 SEK. On 25 May Mrabti scored his first two goals for Djurgården in the Tvillingderby against local rival AIK in front of 27,137 people at the Tele2 Arena in a game which ended 2–2. At the end of the 2015 Allsvenskan season he received the player of the year award by the club's supporter group Järnkaminerna as well as the award for best newcomer of the year in the entire league. Ahead of the new season in 2017 Mrabti was handed the number 10 shirt. On 10 May 2018 he scored as Djurgården beat Malmö FF 3–0 in the Swedish Cup Final.
He left the club at the end of the season, and on 18 January 2019, signed an 18-month contract on a free deal with Birmingham City of the EFL Championship, the second tier of football in England. Always in or around the first team but never a regular in the starting eleven, Mrabti made 27 appearances in all competitions (18 league starts) and scored three goals. The arrival of Scott Hogan in January 2020 and the season interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic further restricted his opportunities, and he left the club when his contract expired in June 2020.
After training with his former club, Djurgården, Mrabti signed a three-year contract with KV Mechelen of the Belgian First Division A.
International career
Mrabti represented Sweden at under-19 and under-21 levels. In January 2016 he suffered an ACL injury only 25 minutes into his senior debut for Sweden against Estonia. Mrabti was expected to back in full training in September later that year. He was included in Sweden's squad in December 2017.
Despite his having played for Sweden in friendly matches, Tunisia were keen to add him to their 2018 World Cup squad. On 13 May 2018 Mrabti announced he had turned down the opportunity. He was called into Sweden's squad in December 2018.
Personal life
Mrabti's father is Tunisian while his mother is half Swedish and half Finnish. He first became a Djurgårdens IF supporter after attending the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League qualifier against FK Partizan and he also visited their training ground to collect autographs from the players. In November 2016 Mrabti said in the Fan-TV show "08 Fotboll" that his dream was to one day play in the German Bundesliga.
Career statistics
International
As of 1 June 2022
Honours
Djurgårdens IF
Svenska Cupen: 2017–18
Individual
Allsvenskan newcomer of the year: 2015
Årets Järnkamin: 2015
References
External links
(archive)
1994 births
Living people
Footballers from Stockholm
Swedish men's footballers
Sweden men's international footballers
Sweden men's under-21 international footballers
Sweden men's youth international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
IK Sirius Fotboll players
Enköpings SK FK players
Djurgårdens IF Fotboll players
Birmingham City F.C. players
K.V. Mechelen players
Allsvenskan players
Superettan players
English Football League players
Belgian Pro League players
Swedish expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Swedish people of Tunisian descent
Swedish people of Finnish descent