Boualem Khoukhi

Boualem Khoukhi (Arabic: بوعلام خوخي‎; born on September 7, 1990 in Bou Ismaïl, Algeria) is an Algerian born naturalised Qatari footballer. Originally a winger, he transitioned to a central midfield role and is now primarily employed as a centre-back for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League.

For other uses, see Boualem.

Boualem Khoukhi
Khoukhi with Al Arabi in 2012
Personal information
Full name Boualem Khoukhi
Date of birth (1990-09-07) September 7, 1990
Place of birth Bou Ismaïl, Algeria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Defender/Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Al Sadd
Number 16
Youth career
2006–2009 JSM Chéraga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009 JSM Chéraga
2009–2017 Al Arabi 135 (32)
2017– Al Sadd 54 (5)
National team‡
2013 Qatar B 3 (2)
2013– Qatar 76 (19)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 September 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:59, 5 December 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Youth career

A pure product of the JSM Chéraga junior ranks, Khoukhi made his debut for the senior team in the 2009–10 season.[1] He struggled in his first season, but his career was soon revived when Farid Zemiti was hired as the head coach of the club. He became integrated into the first team, playing alongside future Algeria international Islam Slimani, and many Algerian clubs were alleged to be interested in the services of Khoukhi, including USM El Harrach.

He soon received an offer from Al Shamal in Qatar, which he accepted. However, after landing in Qatar, Al Arabi head coach Uli Stielike believed Khoukhi had exceptional potential and offered him a trial at the club. He accepted the trial and was offered a contract deal shortly after.[1]

Al Arabi (2009–2017)

Khoukhi soon earned a starting spot in Al Arabi's first team after his initial arrival in November 2009.

On September 5, 2010, he started for Al Arabi in the final of the 2010 Sheikh Jassem Cup against Lekhwiya, with Al Arabi winning 1–0.[2]

He received a loan offer from Saudi club Al Ittihad on January 10, 2014 after his performances in the WAFF Championship. He also received a transfer offer from Japanese side Júbilo Iwata, a club coached by former Al Arabi coach Péricles Chamusca.[3] These offers came after reports that Khoukhi was planning to leave Al Arabi.[4] Shortly after allegations of planning to move to another club, he silenced the rumors by signing a contract renewal with Al Arabi.

Al Sadd (2017–present)

In July 2017, Khoukhi joined Al Sadd. In July 2019, Al-Gharafa announced signing him on a four-year deal but Al Sadd denied the transfer.[5]

International career

Algeria

Khoukhi was born and raised in Algeria. On November 9, 2010, Khoukhi was called up for the first time to the Algeria under–23 national team for a pair of friendlies against Tunisia.[6] The Qatar Football Association attempted to naturalize Khoukhi shortly after he arrived in Qatar, however, he refused and claimed that he would not be naturalized for any amount of money. He stated his desire was to play with the Algeria senior national team.[1] Subsequently, he received Qatari citizenship in order to assist in his club's foreign player quota.

Qatar

Despite his call up to Algeria's olympic team, he was called up to the Qatar B team on November 13, 2013 by compatriot Djamel Belmadi.[7] When questioned about Khoukhi's call-up to the squad, Belmadi claimed that Khoukhi was naturalized prior to his call-up in order for his team, Al Arabi, to overcome the foreign player quota.[8] Belmadi stated he was surprised when the QFA revealed Khoukhi was eligible to be called up to the Qatar national team. He made his official debut for the team on December 25 in the 2014 WAFF Championship in a 1–0 win against Palestine.[9]

In the next match on December 31, 2013 against Saudi Arabia, who were fielding their Olympic squad, Khoukhi scored a brace and attained an assist to give his team a 4–1 win.[10] On January 4, 2014, Khoukhi helped Qatar, once again, netting a brace against Kuwait to send Qatar to the finals.

In the final of the 2014 WAFF Championship, Khoukhi scored another brace defeating Jordan 2–0. This would bring his final goal tally to six thus becoming the tournament's top goalscorer and being lauded by the Qatar Football Association as one of the key-men to Qatar's 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign in the future.[11]

In their opening match of 2019 Copa America Khouki scored in Qatar's 2–2 draw with Paraguay.[12]

International goals
Scores and results list Qatar's goal tally first.[13]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.31 December 2013Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Saudi Arabia1–04–12014 WAFF Championship
2.3–1
3.4 January 2014Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar Kuwait1–03–0
4.2–0
5.7 January 2014Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Jordan1–02–0
6.2–0
7.6 November 2014Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar North Korea1–03–1Friendly
8.27 November 2014King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia2–12–122nd Arabian Gulf Cup
9.3 September 2015Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Bhutan11–015–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
10.13–0
11.13 October 2015 Maldives1–04–0
12.3–0
13.10 November 2016 Russia1–12–1Friendly
14.19 November 2018Kehrwegstadion, Eupen, Belgium Iceland2–22–2
15.13 January 2019Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates North Korea3–06–02019 AFC Asian Cup
16.29 January 2019Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates1–04–02019 AFC Asian Cup
17.16 June 2019Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Paraguay2–22–22019 Copa América
18.5 September 2019Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar Afghanistan6–06–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
19.2 December 2019Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar United Arab Emirates4–24–224th Arabian Gulf Cup

Honours

Club
Al-Arabi
  • Sheikh Jassem Cup (2): 2008, 2010, 2011
Al-Sadd

International
Qatar B
Qatar

References
  1. "Khoukhi : courtisé par la sélection nationale du Qatar". lebuteur.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  2. رأس «كابوري» تمنح العربي كأس الشيخ جاسم Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "اتحاد جدة يطلب ضم بوعلام من العربي". alkass.net. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  4. "بوعلام: العربي بيتي وهناك "أشخاص" يشوّهون صورتي". alkass.net. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  5. "Khoukhi joins Al Sadd camp in Spain amid transfer scuffle". Qatar Tribune. July 29, 2019.
  6. La liste pour le stage en Tunisie
  7. "Qatar calls up Algerian duo of Boualem Khoukhi and Karim Boudiaf". dzfoot.com. November 13, 2013. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  8. "Belmadi : "Boudiaf et Khoukhi étaient naturalisés et..."" (in French). lebuteur. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  9. "Match report" (PDF). the-waff.com. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  10. "Adel, Khoukhi help Qatar progress". dohastadiumplusqatar.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  12. "Qatar shake up Copa with thrilling comeback against Paraguay". Euronews. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  13. "Boualem Khoukhi". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
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