The Olympiakos coach, José Luis Mendilibar, is hoping to lift his second European trophy in two years when he faces Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in Athens on Wednesday. He won the Europa League with Sevilla a year ago and could become the second manager to triumph in Europe with different clubs in successive seasons after Rafa Benítez, who won the Uefa Cup with Valencia in 2004 and the Champions League with Liverpool 12 months later.
In both campaigns Mendilibar has relied on a Moroccan centre-forward. Youssef En-Nesyri scored six times for Sevilla in Europe last season, including two goals in the 3-0 quarter-final win over Manchester United. This term, though, Ayoub El Kaabi has done even better, especially against Premier League opponents.
The Olympiakos forward almost single-handedly dismantled Aston Villa in the semi-finals, netting a hat-trick in the 4-2 win in Birmingham, then scoring both goals in the 2-0 second-leg triumph in Piraeus. Incredibly, though, those five goals are only a third of his total in European competitions this season.
El Kaabi’s most impressive contribution before facing Villa came in the last-16 games against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Olympiakos lost 4-1 at home and seemed to be on their way out but produced a stunning comeback in the return leg, with El Kaabi forcing the tie into extra time with a magnificent overhead kick. They won 6-1 and have not looked back since.
Now they are 90 minutes away from becoming the first Greek club to win a European trophy. Panathinaikos, led by Ferenc Puskas, have come the closest but lost to Ajax in the European Cup final in 1971.
Mendilibar, whose Sevilla side beat Roma on penalties in the final a year ago, will be hoping El Kaabi can continue his run of scoring. He has already broken a single season record in Europe by an African player. Granted, Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba never took part in 18 matches in a single campaign, but it is a sensational achievement nevertheless – even more so considering this is El Kaabi’s first European campaign.
He is not a young rising star, however, and he turns 31 next month. He got his first professional contract in his homeland at the age of 23. For a long time, El Kaabi could not imagine he would be able to make a living from football. In his youth, he worked as a carpenter and a builder to help his father. “I learned that one can only reach success through hard work,” he has said.
Whereas En-Nesyri studied at the state of the art academy established by King Mohammed VI, El Kaabi never had any football education. He played for a small team in Casablanca, before joining second division Racing in 2016. A year later, he moved to modest Berkane in the Moroccan top flight and prolific form led to his inclusion in the national team squad for the 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan) – a tournament established exclusively for players from local leagues and not to be confused with the Africa Cup of Nations.
El Kaabi scored nine goals in six matches en route to winning the trophy and European clubs finally showed some interest. He was linked with a move to Atlético Madrid in the Spanish press, while more realistic options included Espanyol, Málaga and Saint-Étienne.
However, after taking part in the 2018 World Cup, El Kaabi moved to China. “Hebei’s offer was too good to refuse. Having come from a modest background, Ayoub wanted to secure his family’s financial future,” the Moroccan football expert Hanif Ben Berkane said.
From the career development point of view it turned out to be the wrong decision. A year later, El Kaabi moved back to Morocco, joining Wydad Casablanca. That was his first experience at a top club by local standards and it was largely unsuccessful. Despite scoring frequently, he was criticised for glaring misses and his poor contribution to team play. He was blamed for the Caf Champions League semi-final defeat by Kaizer Chiefs and eventually left.
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Wydad supporters failed to appreciate El Kaabi’s true qualities – he is a penalty-area predator who knows how to position himself and get numerous scoring chances in every game. His composure in front of goal improved after joining Hatayspor in the summer of 2021, and he became a local idol, scoring 26 goals in 53 Turkish Super Lig matches.
The disastrous earthquake in February 2023, which destroyed the city and claimed lives of thousands, including Christian Atsu and numerous club officials, put a cruel end to the adventure. Morocco suffered its own earthquake in September and El Kaabi helped to raise funds for survivors.
By that time, he was playing for Olympiakos, who signed him in the summer to replace Cédric Bakambu. That was a difficult task, but El Kaabi was more than up to it, exceeding even the most optimistic expectations. Initially, fans were not excited by the anonymous 30-year-old who was not considered good enough to make the Morocco squad for the 2022 World Cup, but they adore him now and fear losing him.
“Ayoub’s composure in front of goal is superb, but this is probably his only season in Piraeus as there are big offers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” the Sport24.gr writer Costas Bratsos said.
His career is a case of what might have been. The Moroccan has flourished too late to earn a transfer to a top league and his time in the spotlight could be short. Wednesday’s final could be his last game in European football but, based on his incredible form, he could make it a farewell to remember.