Zakaria Bakkali, once a teenage sensation, is without a club at 30
At 17, Zakaria Bakkali made a splash at PSV Eindhoven and made his debut for Belgium. Thirteen years later, the Moroccan-born forward is without a club. His spell at Ittihad Tanger, which was meant to relaunch his career, ended this summer.
From one of European football’s brightest prospects to a free agent. Zakaria Bakkali, 30, is still looking for a team after leaving Ittihad Tanger last July. The former Belgian international of Moroccan origin, once considered one of the most promising talents of his generation, has not found a new club, Belgian media outlet Voetbal24 reported on Monday, October 12.
In August 2013, the young forward made headlines with three goals for PSV Eindhoven against NEC Nijmegen (5-0). At just 17 years and 196 days old, he became the youngest player in Dutch league history to score a hat-trick. Two months later, Marc Wilmots gave him his first cap for Belgium, against Wales.
What followed never lived up to expectations. After leaving for Valencia in 2015 following a contractual dispute with PSV, Bakkali went on to play for Deportivo La Coruña, Anderlecht, Beerschot and RKC Waalwijk. In February 2020, a much-heralded return to Anderlecht had raised hopes of a fresh start, but it came to little.
The Moroccan gamble did not pay off
In January 2025, after six months without a team, Bakkali chose to join Ittihad Tanger. He had turned down several offers, including ones from Bulgaria, Greece, China and the United Arab Emirates. The aim was to get playing time in the Moroccan league and revive a career that had become inconsistent.
But physical problems once again held him back. On April 29, 2026, Ittihad Tanger officially announced that he had a back injury, with a return expected in late June. Two months later, his spell at the club came to an end.
On July 21, the Tangier club announced the departure of six players, including Zakaria Bakkali, after their contracts expired. In its statement, Ittihad thanked the former Red Devil for his commitment and professionalism and wished him the best in his future career.
Since then, no new contract has been announced. The player, who made two appearances for Belgium, now finds himself in the same situation he was in before arriving in Morocco: without a club. At 30, Bakkali is still waiting for a new opportunity to return to the pitch.