Moroccan · Fez, Morocco · Born 1 June 1997Athletic and prolific Moroccan striker who scored the goals that helped write Morocco's greatest chapter at the 2022 World Cup.
Youssef En-Nesyri was born on 1 June 1997 in Fez, Morocco, and progressed through the youth ranks of Maghreb de Fès before joining the King Mohammed VI Football Academy, a national training centre established to develop elite Moroccan talent. He moved to Spain in 2016, initially with Málaga's reserve team before breaking into the first team. En-Nesyri developed into one of the most physically imposing strikers in La Liga, renowned for his aerial power and clinical finishing, and after a spell at Leganés joined Sevilla in 2020, where he became one of the club's most reliable goalscorers, making over 200 La Liga appearances across his time in Spain and winning the Europa League with Sevilla in 2023. En-Nesyri's signature international moment came at the 2022 World Cup, where his towering headed goal against Portugal in the quarter-finals helped Morocco become the first African nation ever to reach a World Cup semi-final — a historic achievement that made him a national hero. He moved to Turkey's Fenerbahçe in 2024 before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad in 2026. En-Nesyri has represented Morocco since 2016, becoming one of the country's most important attacking players and a key figure in the golden generation that reshaped African football's standing on the world stage during the 2022 World Cup.
Leading Morocco to first World Cup semi-final in history
He scored the header that eliminated Spain and the winner against Portugal at the 2022 World Cup — two of the most historic goals in Moroccan and African football history.
Did You Know?How They Played
Physical striker with strong aerial ability and clinical finishing
Lasting Impact
First Moroccan player to score in four different AFCON editions; best Moroccan scorer in UEFA Champions League history; helped Morocco become first African/Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final
Career Honours
- Europa League 2023 (Sevilla)
- WC 2022 Semi-Final (Morocco)
- Europa League 2020
- UEFA Europa League 2019/2020 (Sevilla)
- UEFA Europa League 2022/2023 (Sevilla)
- UEFA/CONMEBOL Club Challenge 2023 (Sevilla)
- FIFA Arab Cup 2025 (Morocco)
- Fenerbahçe Super Cup 2025/2026
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Málaga B | 2016–2017 | — | 10 | 9 | #9 |
| Málaga | 2016–2018 | £20m | 38 | 5 | #9 |
| Leganés | 2018–2020 | undisclosed | 49 | 13 | — |
| Sevilla | 2020–2024 | £20m | 143 | 51 | #9 |
| Fenerbahçe | 2024–2026 | — | 50 | 27 | #9 |
| Al-Ittihad | 2026–Present | — | 13 | 6 | — |
 Morocco | — | — | 65 | 22 | — |
Moroccan Athletes