Rachid Bouaouzan
Encyclopedia
Rachid Bouaouzan is a Dutch
-Moroccan
footballer who is currently playing for the Swedish club Helsingborgs IF
.
and made his debut in professional football, being part of the Sparta Rotterdam
squad in the 2003–04 season. He played for his local club for 4 seasons.
In his second season, while playing in the Eerste Divisie
, Bouaouzan reached the Dutch news headlines due to a heavy foul on Niels Kokmeijer
, his opponent playing for Go Ahead Eagles
on December 17, 2004. Kokmeijer's leg was broken badly and he was subsequently forced to retire from professional football. Sparta Rotterdam suspended Bouaouzan for the rest of the season, which was more than the 10 match ban the KNVB
awarded him. Besides that he was taken to court by the Dutch government for battery
, a unique moment in Dutch football history. Bouaouzan was sentenced to a conditional six months in jail. In April 2008 the highest Dutch court confirmed this.
At the end of the season Sparta Rotterdam qualified for the play-offs where Bouaouzan returned on the pitch. In the last and final play-off match Bouaouzan scored Sparta's winning goal over Helmond Sport
, thus securing them a spot in the Eredivisie
for 2005–06.
in August 2007. The transfer fee was rumoured to be in the region of £300,000. He made his first and only appearance for the club when he came on as a substitute in a League Cup tie with Notts County on 26 August 2008. His contract with the club expired on 30 June 2010.
side NEC Nijmegen during the 2008/09 season to gain first team experience. In Nijmegen he was first choice for manager Mario Been
and was able to play in Nijmegen's UEFA Cup
campaign. During the season he was banned to the reserve squad three times for disciplinary reasons and motivational problems. In April 2009, after another incident, he was sent back to Wigan. He failed to play a single game on his return to Wigan, and so on 1 April 2010 Bouaouzan joined Swedish club Helsingborgs IF
on loan for three months.
, initially signing a short term deal with the club.
in their preparation on October 2006 in Netherlands
. He has played for the Dutch
U21-team, but remains eligible to play for both senior national teams.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
footballer who is currently playing for the Swedish club Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...
.
Sparta Rotterdam and The Kokmeijer case
Bouaouzan was born in RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and made his debut in professional football, being part of the Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
squad in the 2003–04 season. He played for his local club for 4 seasons.
In his second season, while playing in the Eerste Divisie
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
, Bouaouzan reached the Dutch news headlines due to a heavy foul on Niels Kokmeijer
Niels Kokmeijer
Niels Kokmeijer is a former Dutch footballer most famous for his period at Go Ahead Eagles. Currently he is manager of the Dutch Beach Soccer Association.- Career :...
, his opponent playing for Go Ahead Eagles
Go Ahead Eagles
The Go Ahead Eagles are a football club from Deventer, Netherlands, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie. The club's home stadium is De Adelaarshorst. To date, the club has won the national championship four times...
on December 17, 2004. Kokmeijer's leg was broken badly and he was subsequently forced to retire from professional football. Sparta Rotterdam suspended Bouaouzan for the rest of the season, which was more than the 10 match ban the KNVB
Royal Dutch Football Association
The Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
awarded him. Besides that he was taken to court by the Dutch government for battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
, a unique moment in Dutch football history. Bouaouzan was sentenced to a conditional six months in jail. In April 2008 the highest Dutch court confirmed this.
At the end of the season Sparta Rotterdam qualified for the play-offs where Bouaouzan returned on the pitch. In the last and final play-off match Bouaouzan scored Sparta's winning goal over Helmond Sport
Helmond Sport
Helmond Sport is a Dutch football club, playing in the Dutch Eerste Divisie and located in Helmond, Noord-Brabant. The club was founded on July 27, 1967, as a breakaway from the local professional club Helmondia '55, which had gone bankrupt.-History:...
, thus securing them a spot in the Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
for 2005–06.
Wigan Athletic
Rachid signed a three year contract with Wigan AthleticWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in August 2007. The transfer fee was rumoured to be in the region of £300,000. He made his first and only appearance for the club when he came on as a substitute in a League Cup tie with Notts County on 26 August 2008. His contract with the club expired on 30 June 2010.
N.E.C. and Helsingborgs IF loan
Because Bouaouzan was not able to get into the Wigan squad during the 2007/08 season, he went on a one-year loan deal to the Dutch EredivisieEredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
side NEC Nijmegen during the 2008/09 season to gain first team experience. In Nijmegen he was first choice for manager Mario Been
Mario Been
Mario Been is a former football professional and football manager from the Netherlands, who is currently the head coach of Genk since 30 August 2011....
and was able to play in Nijmegen's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
campaign. During the season he was banned to the reserve squad three times for disciplinary reasons and motivational problems. In April 2009, after another incident, he was sent back to Wigan. He failed to play a single game on his return to Wigan, and so on 1 April 2010 Bouaouzan joined Swedish club Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...
on loan for three months.
Helsingborgs IF
On 23 September 2010, he rejoined Helsingborgs IFHelsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...
, initially signing a short term deal with the club.
International career
Bouaouzan joined the Moroccan national teamMorocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
in their preparation on October 2006 in Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He has played for the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
U21-team, but remains eligible to play for both senior national teams.
External links
- Player profile – Wigan Athletic
- Career stats – Voetbal International
- ESPN Profile