Bilal El Khannouss
Footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bilal El Khannouss (Arabic: بلال الخنوس; born 10 May 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and the Morocco national team.
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El Khannouss with Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Bilal El Khannouss[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 10 May 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | VfB Stuttgart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2019 | Anderlecht | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Genk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Genk | 78 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2026 | Leicester City | 34 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025–2026 | → VfB Stuttgart (loan) | 25 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026– | VfB Stuttgart | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Belgium U15 | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Belgium U16 | 7 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Belgium U18 | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Morocco U20 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Morocco U23 | 12 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Morocco | 41 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:23, 9 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:05, 30 June 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Genk
El Khannouss joined Anderlecht in 2009, but moved to Genk in 2019 due to a lack of playing opportunities.[2][3] On 24 July 2020, he signed his first professional contract.[4] He made his league debut on 21 May 2022 in a 0–0 draw against Mechelen.[5]
On 1 November 2023, El Khannouss was nominated for the 2023 African Young Player of the Year by CAF.[6]
Leicester City
El Khannouss signed for Premier League club Leicester City on 29 August 2024 on a four-year deal for a reported £21m fee.[7][8] He was assigned the number 11 shirt.[7] El Khannouss made his Leicester debut on 31 August 2024 in a 2–1 loss against Aston Villa.[9] His first start came in a 1–1 draw against Everton on 21 September 2024.[10] He scored his first goal for the Foxes on 3 December 2024 in a 3–1 home league victory against West Ham United.[11]
VfB Stuttgart
On 1 September 2025, El Khannouss joined VfB Stuttgart on loan.[12] Later that month, on 19 September, he scored his first goal in a 2–0 victory over St. Pauli.[13] On 25 May 2026, his loan spell was made permanent as he signed a long-term contract with the club.[14]
International career
Born in Belgium, El Khannouss is of Moroccan descent.[15] A former youth international for Belgium, El Khannous switched to represent the Morocco U20s.[16]
On 10 November 2022, he was named in Morocco's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[17][18] On 17 December, he made his international debut in the World Cup third-place playoff against Croatia, which ended in a 2–1 defeat.[19]
In June 2023, he was included in the final squad of the under-23 national team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco itself,[20][21] where the Atlas Lions won their first title,[22][23] and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[22][24] On 21 March 2025, he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 victory over Niger during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.[25]
On 11 December 2025, El Khannouss was called up to the Morocco squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.[26]
On 26 May 2026, El Khannouss was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[27]
Playing style
El Khannouss possesses exceptional control of the ball and great vision, qualities that allow him to excel in one-on-one situations and execute precise, defense-splitting passes.[citation needed] His playing style is characterized by his close ball control, agility, and the ability to navigate tight spaces.[citation needed] His former coach at Genk, Michel Ribeiro, lauded him for having "eyes in his back," a testament to his ability to anticipate the movement of his teammates and opponents.[28][29]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 23 May 2026[30]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Genk | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 1 | |||
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 12[c] | 0 | 51 | 3 | ||
| 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 78 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | 94 | 4 | |||
| Leicester City | 2024–25 | Premier League | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 36 | 3 | |
| 2025–26 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 39 | 3 | |||
| VfB Stuttgart (loan) | 2025–26 | Bundesliga | 25 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 11[d] | 5 | 41 | 9 | |
| VfB Stuttgart | 2026–27 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 135 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 172 | 15 | ||
- Includes Belgian Cup, FA Cup, DFB-Pokal
- Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 29 June 2026[31]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 41 | 3 | |
- Morocco score listed first, score column indicates score after each El Khannouss goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 March 2025 | Honor Stadium, Oujda, Morocco |  Niger | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 18 November 2025 | Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier, Morocco |  Uganda | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 31 March 2026 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France |  Paraguay | 1–0 | 2–1 |
Honours
VfB Stuttgart
Morocco U23
Morocco
Individual
- Belgian Golden Shoe Best Young Player: 2022, 2024[34][35]
- Belgian Lion Award: 2023[36]
- Dominique D'Onofrio Award: 2022[37]
- Genk Player of the Season: 2023–24[38]
- Belgian Pro League Young Professional Footballer of the Season: 2023–24[39]
Orders
- Order of the Throne: 2022[40]
