Rafik Zekhnini
 Rafik Zekhnini, No. 17 on Molde's A team | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 12 January 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Skien, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sarpsborg 08 | ||
| Number | 98 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Odd | 46 | (8) |
| 2017–2021 | Fiorentina | 1 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Rosenborg (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2018–2020 | → Twente (loan) | 48 | (6) |
| 2020–2021 | → Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2021–2023 | Molde | 28 | (2) |
| 2023– | Sarpsborg 08 | 11 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2013 | Norway U15 | 4 | (0) |
| 2014 | Norway U16 | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | Norway U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | Norway U18 | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2019 | Norway U21 | 8 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 December 2023 | |||
Rafik Zekhnini (born 12 January 1998) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eliteserien club Sarpsborg 08.[1][2]
Career[edit]
Zekhnini started his career at Herøya IL, before joining the youth academy of Odds BK in 2013. He signed a professional contract with the club 12 January 2015, and made his debut in a cup match in April the same year. He made his league debut 12 July, against Rosenborg, and scored his first goal, two weeks later, in extra time against Tromsø. Zekhnini had his big breakthrough during the play-off matches in the Europa League qualification against Borussia Dortmund in August 2015. He got an assist after just 16 seconds in the first play-off match at Skagerak Arena. After those matches, he received a lot of attention from several big clubs, including Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United.
On 16 July 2017, Zekhnini signed a five-year contract with the Serie A club Fiorentina for a reported fee of €1.5 million.[3] On 4 April 2018, he returned to Norway to join Rosenborg on loan until the end of the Serie A season.[4]
On 29 August 2018, Zekhnini was loaned to the Dutch second tier team Twente on a season-long loan.[5] Zekhnini did a good performance during his one year loan playing in the Dutch second tier league. Twente won the league and was promoted to play in the Eredivisie in the 2019-20 season. In July 2019, Twente announced that Zekhnini would spend another year on loan from Fiorentina.[6]
Personal life[edit]
Zekhnini is of Moroccan descent.
Career statistics[edit]
- As of 3 September 2022[7]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europa League | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Odd | 2015 | Tippeligaen | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
| 2016 | Tippeligaen | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| 2017 | Eliteserien | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| Total | 46 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 59 | 9 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2017–18 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rosenborg (loan) | 2018 | Eliteserien | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| Twente (loan) | 2018–2019 | Eerste Divisie | 27 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 6 |
| 2019–2020 | Eredivisie | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Total | 48 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 7 | ||
| Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 2020–21 | Swiss Super League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Molde | 2021 | Eliteserien | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | ||
| Total | 27 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 143 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 171 | 22 | ||
Honours[edit]
Molde
References[edit]
- ^ Rafik Zekhnini at Soccerway
- ^ Rafik Zekhnini at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "OFFICIAL: Fiorentina add Rafik Zekhnini". Viola Nation. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "ROSENBORG LÅNER ZEKHNINI" [ROSENBORG LENDS ZEKHNINI] (in Norwegian). Rosenborg BK. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "RAFIK ZEKHNINI TO FC TWENTE". www.fctwente.nl. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ "Nytt utlån for Rafik Zekhnini" (in Norwegian). www.tv2.no. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ^ "Rafik Zekhnini » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
External links[edit]
- Rafik Zekhnini at Soccerway
- Rafik Zekhnini at WorldFootball.net
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Skien
- Men's association football wingers
- Norwegian men's footballers
- Norway men's under-21 international footballers
- Norway men's youth international footballers
- Odds BK players
- ACF Fiorentina players
- Rosenborg BK players
- FC Twente players
- FC Lausanne-Sport players
- Molde FK players
- Eliteserien players
- Serie A players
- Eerste Divisie players
- Eredivisie players
- Swiss Super League players
- Norwegian expatriate men's footballers
- Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
- Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
- Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
- Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
- Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
- Norwegian people of Moroccan descent