From Casablanca to the French top flight, Chouaib Bellaarouch has completed his first move to European football, signing a long-term contract with Stade de Reims in August 2026. The 18-year-old goalkeeper arrives from the Mohammed VI Football Academy, one of Morocco’s most respected youth development institutions, after passing a medical examination that cleared the way for the transfer to be finalized. The academy is widely recognized as a key part of Morocco’s national talent pipeline, nurturing elite footballers who go on to represent the country at various levels, following in the footsteps of established stars such as Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Morocco’s resilient national team goalkeeper.
Chouaib Bellaarouch completes his first European move, signing a long-term deal with Stade de Reims after passing his medical.
Born in Casablanca, Bellaarouch stands around 1.85 to 1.88 metres tall and is right-footed, a physical profile well suited to his position between the posts. He comes from a footballing family, with his brother Alaa Bellaarouch currently playing professionally for FC Dinamo 1948. Chouaib spent the 2024–2025 seasons developing at the Mohammed VI Academy, a period that laid the foundation for his rise on the international youth stage.
That rise became clear with Morocco’s U17 national team, where Bellaarouch made close to eleven appearances across official and friendly matches. His standout moment came at the Africa Cup of Nations U17 2025, hosted on home soil. Morocco won the tournament, with Bellaarouch playing a decisive role in the penalty shootout victory over Mali in the final.
His performances earned him individual recognition as best goalkeeper of the group stage, of the final, and of the competition overall, backed by a save percentage of 94.1 percent during the tournament.
At Stade de Reims, Bellaarouch will initially join Reims Révélations, the club’s development structure designed to bridge the gap between youth football and the professional squad. The pathway, which succeeds the former Groupe Pro 2 system, focuses on technical refinement, physical conditioning, and adjusting to the pace and intensity of European football.
Rather than being thrust immediately into senior competition, he will work through this structure with the aim of eventually earning promotion to the first team.
He has been given the number 40 shirt for the coming seasons, a detail consistent with his status as a long-term project rather than an immediate starter. French and Moroccan media have both described the move as a significant step for a highly rated young goalkeeper, one whose progress at Reims will be watched closely as he adapts to a new football culture and works toward a professional breakthrough.
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