Born in Tangier, Morocco, El Kalai became a naturalised citizen of Portugal in 2009 and began to compete for his adopted country from 2010. At the Almond Blossom Cross Country in March 2010, he came second behind Kenyan Mark Bett and won the national title as the first Portuguese to finish. He ran at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and was Portugal's best performer in 42nd place. He made his championship track debut at the 2010 European Athletics Championships and was eighth in the men's 10,000 metres. He took part in the 2010 European Cross Country Championships in Albufeira and won an individual bronze medal in the senior race as well as the team silver medal.