Moroccan international Khalid Boutaïb has retired at 39, announcing the decision via his official Instagram account, after closing his career with Kawkab Marrakech in the 2025-26 season with 15 appearances and one goal.
The announcement came via a video posted on Boutaïb’s official Instagram account, in which he expressed emotion, pride and gratitude toward everyone who supported him throughout his journey.
I want to thank everyone who supported me throughout this journey — it means everything to me.
His final professional season came with Kawkab Marrakech in Morocco, where he made 15 appearances and scored one goal during the 2025-26 campaign. Boutaïb built his career without the benefit of a professional academy background, rising through amateur and semi-professional football before breaking into France’s top divisions.
His French career included nine clubs. Gazélec Ajaccio marked a particularly important milestone as the club where he first reached Ligue 1, a step that followed years in the amateur ranks and preceded several seasons in Ligue 2, where he established himself as a reliable goal-scoring forward. Strasbourg, Le Havre, Paris FC and Pau also featured among his stops in France, where he spent the bulk of his professional career.
Across his time in French football, Boutaïb scored more than 50 goals in Ligue 2 alone, part of an overall professional record exceeding 200 appearances. His consistency in front of goal became a defining trait, contributing to a reputation as an experienced and dependable No. 9.
On the international stage, he represented Morocco, capping a rise that began far from professional academies with a breakthrough into the highest level of the sport. Like fellow Moroccan international Youssef En-Nesyri, Boutaïb became a symbol of the country’s growing footballing pride on the international stage.
In his farewell message, Boutaïb thanked his family, friends, coaches, teammates, staff members and supporters.
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