Boualem Khoukhi

Boualem Khoukhi

Khoukhi with Al Arabi in 2012
Personal information
Full name Boualem Khoukhi
Date of birth (1990-09-07) 7 September 1990
Place of birth Bou Ismaïl, Algeria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Winger/Defender
Club information
Current team
 Al Sadd
Number --
Youth career
2006–2009 JSM Chéraga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009 JSM Chéraga - (-)
2009-2017 Al Arabi 135 (32)
2017- Al Sadd
National team‡
2013 Qatar B 3 (2)
2014– Qatar 35 (13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:00, January 30, 2017(EST).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:00, October 17, 2016 (EST)

Boualem Khoukhi (Arabic: بوعلام خوخي‎‎; born on September 7, 1990 in Bou Ismaïl, Algeria) is an Algerian born naturalised Qatari footballer. He currently plays as a forward for Al Arabi in the Qatar Stars League. He is often touted as one of Qatar's promising stars with his ability to score acute-angled free-kicks and a pacey winger.[1]

Club career

Youth career

A pure product of the JSM Chéraga junior ranks, Khoukhi made his debut for the senior team in the 2009–10 season.[2] He struggled in his first season, but his career was soon revived when Farid Zemiti was hired as the head coach of the club. He became integrated into the first team, playing alongside future Algeria international Islam Slimani, and many Algerian clubs were alleged to be interested in the services of Khoukhi, including USM El Harrach.

He soon received an offer from Al Shamal in Qatar, which he accepted. However, after landing in Qatar, Al Arabi head coach Uli Stielike believed Khoukhi had exceptional potential and offered him a trial at the club. He accepted the trial and was offered a contract deal shortly after.[2]

Al Arabi (2009–present)

Khoukhi soon earned a starting spot in Al Arabi's first team after his initial arrival in November 2009.

On September 5, 2010, he started for Al Arabi in the final of the 2010 Sheikh Jassem Cup against Lekhwiya, with Al Arabi winning 1–0.[3]

He received a loan offer from Saudi club Al Ittihad on January 10, 2014 after his performances in the WAFF Championship. He also received a transfer offer from Japanese side Júbilo Iwata, a club coached by former Al Arabi coach Péricles Chamusca.[4] These offers came after reports that Khoukhi was planning to leave Al Arabi.[5] Shortly after allegations of planning to move to another club, he silenced the rumors by signing a contract renewal with Al Arabi.

International career

Algeria

Khoukhi was born and raised in Algeria. On November 9, 2010, Khoukhi was called up for the first time to the Algeria under–23 national team for a pair of friendlies against Tunisia.[6] The Qatar Football Association attempted to naturalize Khoukhi shortly after he arrived in Qatar, however, he refused and claimed that he would not be naturalized for any amount of money. He stated his desire was to play with the Algeria senior national team.[2] Subsequently, he received Qatari citizenship in order to assist in his club's foreign player quota.

Qatar

Despite his call up to Algeria's olympic team, he was called up to the Qatar B team on November 13, 2013 by compatriot Djamel Belmadi.[7] When questioned about Khoukhi's call-up to the squad, Belmadi claimed that Khoukhi was naturalized prior to his call-up in order for his team, Al Arabi, to overcome the foreign player quota.[8] Belmadi stated he was surprised when the QFA revealed Khoukhi was eligible to be called up to the Qatar national team. He made his official debut for the team on 25 December in the 2014 WAFF Championship in a 1–0 win against Palestine.[9]

In the next match on 31 December 2013 against Saudi Arabia, who were fielding their Olympic squad, Khoukhi scored a brace and attained an assist to give his team a 4–1 win.[10] On 4 January 2014, Khoukhi helped Qatar, once again, netting a brace against Kuwait to send Qatar to the finals.

In the final of the 2014 WAFF Championship, Khoukhi scored another brace defeating Jordan 2–0. This would bring his final goal tally to six thus becoming the tournament's top goalscorer and being lauded by the Qatar Football Association as one of the key-men to Qatar's 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign in the future.[1]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1.31 December 2013Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Saudi Arabia1–04–12014 WAFF Championship
2.3–1
3.4 January 2014Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar Kuwait1–03–02014 WAFF Championship
4.2–0
5.7 January 2014Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Jordan1–02–02014 WAFF Championship
6.2–0
7. 6 November 2014 Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar  North Korea 1–0 3–1 Friendly
8. 27 November 2014 King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia 2–1 2–1 2014 Gulf Cup of Nations
9. 3 September 2015 Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Bhutan 11–0 15–0 2018 World Cup qual.
10. 13–0
11. 13 October 2015 Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Maldives 1–0 4–0 2018 World Cup qual.
12. 3–0
13. 10 November 2016 Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Russia 1–1 2–1 Friendly
Correct as of 30 January 2017[11]

Honours

Club

Al-Arabi
Qatar B
Qatar

References

  1. 1 2
  2. 1 2 3 "Khoukhi : courtisé par la sélection nationale du Qatar". lebuteur.com. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ↑ رأس «كابوري» تمنح العربي كأس الشيخ جاسم Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "اتحاد جدة يطلب ضم بوعلام من العربي". alkass.net. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "بوعلام: العربي بيتي وهناك "أشخاص" يشوّهون صورتي". alkass.net. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  6. ↑ La liste pour le stage en Tunisie
  7. ↑ "Qatar calls up Algerian duo of Boualem Khoukhi and Karim Boudiaf". dzfoot.com. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Belmadi : "Boudiaf et Khoukhi étaient naturalisés et..."" (in French). lebuteur. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Match report" (PDF). the-waff.com. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Adel, Khoukhi help Qatar progress". dohastadiumplusqatar.com. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  11. ↑ Khoukhi, Boualem
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