Moroccan Football Player Mohamed Abarhoun Dies From Cancer at 31

Moroccan international football player Mohamed Abarhoun died today, December 2, at the age of 31.

Turkish club Caykur Rizespor announced the Moroccan player’s death on Twitter.

Abarhoun, a native of Tetouan, northern Morocco, died from stomach cancer. He announced his suffering from the disease in September.

In late October, the Moroccan player announced that he was starting to recover and promised that he will soon be back on the pitch.

“After being sick in the past months, I am now in good health and I am telling you in all pride and determination that I am recovering my fitness and will soon be back on the field. Inshallah (If God Wants),” he wrote on Instagram on October 30.

The player’s situation, however, worsened in recent weeks and he spent his last days in the hospital.

A large number of Moroccan and international football players, including Abarhoun’s former teammates, expressed their solidarity with the player and wished him recovery while he was hospitalized.

Born on May 3, 1989, Mohamed Abarhoun grew up in Tetouan and played for local club Moghreb Tetouan between 2010 and 2017.

The center-back was part of Moghreb Tetouan’s golden generation that won two Botola Pro league titles in 2012 and 2014 and participated in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.

The defender began a new chapter in his career in 2017 when he earned a contract with Portuguese first-tier club Moreirense FC.

After two seasons in Portugal, Mohamed Abarhoun went to Turkey to play for Caykur Rizespor. The Moroccan player participated in 37 games with the Turkish club before his diagnosis with cancer.

At the international level, Abarhoun played on several occasions for the Moroccan national team. He played nine games with the U20 category, eight games with the U23 category, and seven games with the senior Atlas Lions team.

During his 10-year professional career, the Moroccan player participated in 216 games, totaling 18,966 minutes of play. Despite being a central defender, he scored 11 goals and made four assists.