Biography
Who is Anwar El Ghazi?
Early Career and Youth Football
Anwar El Ghazi began his football path in the youth ranks of his local club BVV Barendrecht. He later joined the youth academy of Feyenoord for two seasons before moving to Spartaan '20. Sparta Rotterdam then recruited him, allowing him to progress further through their youth academy ranks.
In 2013, he moved to the Ajax Youth Academy. He played for the under-19 selection and competed in the UEFA Youth League before signing a professional contract with Ajax in July 2013.
Ajax and Lille Career
During the 2014-15 pre-season with Ajax, Anwar scored eight goals in 150 minutes, finishing as the top pre-season scorer. He made his official debut in the 2014 Johan Cruyff Shield against PEC Zwolle. He also scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Barcelona at Camp Nou in October 2014.
On January 31, 2017, Anwar transferred to French Ligue 1 side Lille for an eight million euro transfer fee. During his time at Lille, he scored well-known goals and registered assists, including a memorable performance against RC Strasbourg in January 2018.
Aston Villa and Premier League
On August 22, 2018, Anwar signed for Championship club Aston Villa on a season-long loan. He scored his first goal for the club against Sheffield United and later played a vital role in the 2019 EFL Championship Play-off final victory over Derby County.
He signed permanently with Aston Villa on June 10, 2019. He scored four goals in his first Premier League season to help the club avoid relegation and later added eleven goals during the 2020-21 campaign.
Later Career and Legal Battles
Anwar later played for Everton on loan, joined PSV Eindhoven in August 2022, and signed a two-year contract with Bundesliga club Mainz 05 in September 2023. His contract with Mainz was later terminated following social media posts regarding the Gaza war, leading to a legal dispute.
In July 2024, the Labour Court of Mainz ruled that Anwar had been unfairly dismissed by the club. He subsequently signed with Cardiff City in August 2024 and later joined Qatari side Al-Sailiya in September 2025.
Birthday and age
Anwar El Ghazi was born on May 3, 1995, which makes Anwar 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Anwar shares the date with 51 other famous people.
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