Souffian El Karouani

Souffian El Karouani is a Moroccan defender born in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, on 19 October 2000. He developed through VV TGG, FC Den Bosch, BVV Den Bosch and Elinkwijk before joining the NEC Nijmegen academy in 2017. El Karouani made his professional debut for NEC in August 2019. During the 2020–21 Keuken Kampioen Divisie season, he became a regular, recording three goals and eight assists. He also assisted NEC’s winning goal against NAC Breda in the promotion play-off final as the club returned to the Eredivisie. In July 2023, he moved to FC Utrecht on a three-year contract, continuing his development as an attack-minded full-back. El Karouani later represented Morocco, making his senior debut in a World Cup qualifier in October 2021, and is listed with Al-Qadisiyah FC.