Zakaria El Ouahdi has been named the best African player in the Belgian Pro League for the 2025-2026 season, winning the 35th edition of the Ebony Shoe ahead of Algeria’s Adam Zorgan and Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika.
At 24, the Moroccan right-back has delivered a remarkable performance this season as one of the most influential players at K.R.C. Genk, scoring 12 goals and recording 5 assists in 41 matches.
El Ouahdi is the third Moroccan to win this prize, after Mbark Boussoufa (2006, 2009, 2010) and Tarik Tissoudali in 2022.
It is worth noting that El Ouahdi had won the Belgian Lion in 2025, the award given to players with North African origins in the Belgian First Division.
Genk’s right-back was called up to the Moroccan National Team squad and made his first appearance in a friendly against Paraguay in March.
El Ouahdi had already won the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations with the Moroccan team under the management of coach Issam Charai.
