Malappuram: The Malappuram Football Club has made an unexpected signing, bringing in Moroccan player Badre Bouhlal. He will play as a central midfielder for the team this season. At 32 years old, this marks Badre’s first time playing in India. He has previously played for clubs in Morocco, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.
Badre comes to Malappuram from the Moroccan club RCA Semmamra, where he played around 13 matches. He has also played for other first-division teams in Morocco, including 83 matches for Fath Union Sport and 22 matches for Raja Club Athletic, contributing 5 assists. Badre won the CAF Confederation Cup with Raja Club. Recently, he played for the Spanish second-division club Malaga CF, scoring 1 goal and making 3 assists in 31 appearances. He also featured in 30 matches for the Saudi second-division team Ohod, providing 2 assists.
Badre has represented the Moroccan national team as well, making 7 appearances for the Under-23 side and scoring 1 goal in 9 matches for the senior team. His first goal for Morocco came against Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also part of the winning Moroccan team in the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations. Badre’s experience will surely be a valuable asset for Malappuram FC.