Biography
Who is Hakim Ziyech?
Early life and background
Hakim Ziyech was born on March 19, 1993, in Dronten, Netherlands, to Moroccan parents from Tafoughalt. He grew up as the youngest of nine children in his family. During his childhood, he spent hours playing football on the Cruyff Court opposite his home in Dronten and watched star players on television. He began playing football for his hometown club Reaal Dronten in 2001 before joining the youth setup at SC Heerenveen.
His early years involved personal challenges, including the death of his father when Hakim was ten years old. He faced struggles with discipline and education while trying to build a career in sports. Mentored by figures like Aziz Doufikar and his agent Mustapha Nakhli, he focused his energy on football and progressed through the youth ranks to start his professional career.
Club career highlights
Hakim Ziyech started his professional career at Dutch club SC Heerenveen in 2012 before moving to FC Twente two years later. In 2016, he signed for AFC Ajax on a five-year deal. The 2018-19 season marked a particularly productive period for him at Ajax, where he scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists in the Eredivisie, helping his team win the league title. In all competitions that season, he scored 21 goals and added 24 assists, earning recognition as one of the top midfielders in the UEFA Champions League.
He joined English Premier League club Chelsea F.C. For the 2020-21 season, where he won the UEFA Champions League. Following his time in England, he moved to Turkey to play for Galatasaray, winning the league twice. He also had short spells with Al-Duhail in Qatar and Wydad in Morocco. Throughout his career, he has been recognized with awards including AFC Ajax player of the year and Officer of the Order of the Throne.
International career with Morocco
Although he originally represented the Netherlands at the under-20 and under-21 levels, Hakim Ziyech chose to represent the senior Morocco national team. He made his international debut for Morocco in 2015. He represented his country at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and 2023, as well as the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he helped lead Morocco to make history as the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals, serving as captain in the later matches. Since playing for the national team, he has donated all attained earnings and bonuses from international play to various charities or to the staff of the team.
Birthday and age
Hakim Ziyech was born on March 19, 1993, which makes Hakim 33 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Hakim shares the date with 19 other famous people.
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