Anwar El Ghazi

Anwar El Ghazi

El Ghazi playing for Ajax in March 2015
Personal information
Full nameAnwar El Ghazi
Date of birth3 May 1995
Place of birthBarendrecht, Netherlands
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
Ajax
Number21
Youth career
2000–2006BVV Barendrecht
2006–2008Feyenoord
2008–2009Spartaan '20
2009–2013Sparta Rotterdam
2013–2014Ajax
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2014–Ajax23(9)
National team‡
2011Netherlands U172(0)
2012–2013Netherlands U183(2)
2014–Netherlands U214(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:34, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Anwar El Ghazi (born 3 May 1995) is a Dutch professional footballer of Moroccan descent who currently plays as a winger for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Club career

Early career

El Ghazi began his football career in the youth ranks of his local club BVV Barendrecht, joining the youth academy of Feyenoord for two seasons. He then joined the ranks of Spartaan '20, before getting recruited to Sparta Rotterdam where he progressed through the academy. In 2013 he joined the Ajax Youth Academy, playing for the A1 selection (under-19), competing in the UEFA Youth League for Ajax.[1]

AFC Ajax

El Ghazi was signed by AFC Ajax in July 2013.[2] During the 2014–15 pre-season, El Ghazi scored eight goals in 150 minutes. The top scorer of the preparation period was intended to play for the reserves team Jong Ajax, but due to his performance was listed for the first team of Ajax following the loan of winger Lesley de Sa to Go Ahead Eagles. He made his official debut for Ajax in the 2014 Johan Cruijff Schaal against PEC Zwolle, coming on for Ricardo Kishna in the 1–0 loss at home[3] He made his regular season debut for Ajax in the 2014–15 season opener against Vitesse. The match ended in a 4–1 home victory, with El Ghazi providing the assist for the fourth goal by Lasse Schöne in the 87th minute.[4] On 17 August 2014 he scored his first Eredivisie goal against AZ in the 90th minute of the 3–1 win in Alkmaar.[5] He scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League on 22 October 2014 at Camp Nou, in the 88th minute of the 3–1 loss to FC Barcelona. He was the first player to score at Camp Nou since the beginning of the 2014–15 season, when Barcelona went five matches at home without conceding a goal.[6]

International career

Having dual citizenship, El Ghazi is eligible to represent both the Netherlands as well as Morocco on senior level. He made his International debut playing for the Netherlands under-18 side in a friendly match against Austria U-18 on 15 October 2012 which ended in a 0-2 loss.[7]

Career statistics

Club performance

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe1 Total
2014–15AjaxEredivisie239720171032107
Total Netherlands 239720171032107
Career total 239720171032107
Statistics accurate as of last match played on 22 February 2015.[8]

1 Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches.

2 Includes the Johan Cruijff Shield and Eredivisie playoffs matches.

References

  1. ↑ Voormalig Sparta-talent El-Ghazi mikt op Ajax 1, Rijnmond.nl, 6 May 2014
  2. ↑ "Ajax contracteert Anwar El-Ghazi". AFC Ajax. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  3. ↑ "PEC Zwolle vs. Ajax". Soccerway. 2014-08-03. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  4. ↑ Ajax vs. Vitesse 4-1, Soccerway.co, 10 August 2014
  5. ↑ "AZ vs. Ajax". Soccerway. 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
  6. ↑ "El Ghazi zorgt voor opmerkelijke statistiek". Soccernews.nl. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2014-10-22.
  7. ↑ "Speler: Anwar El-Ghazi". OnsOranje. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  8. ↑ "Anwar El Ghazi - Soccerway profile". Soccerway.

External links