Soufiane Rahimi

Soufiane Rahimi is a Moroccan striker who rose from Raja Casablanca’s academy to become Al Ain FC’s leading forward, right-footed and comfortable cutting in from the left. He won the 2023-24 AFC Champions League Golden Boot and later became Morocco’s all-time top Olympic scorer at Paris 2024, netting in six straight matches. Known for composed finishing and timing, his story reveals a career still gaining momentum ahead.

Player Snapshot for Soufiane Rahimi

Born on 2 June 1996 in Casablanca, Morocco, Soufiane Rahimi has built his career around a clear attacking identity. Standing close to 1.80 meters and favoring his right foot, he operates mainly as a striker, though some sources note his versatility as a left winger. He currently plays for Al Ain, having joined in August 2021 after a spell at Raja Casablanca. Rahimi came off the bench to score a decisive late goal as Morocco defeated Canada 3–0 in the Round of 16, a tournament run that also showcased the heroics of Morocco’s resilient goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti.

About Soufiane Rahimi

Beyond the basic profile details, Rahimi’s career takes on clearer shape when viewed through his club affiliations and shirt number. Born on 2 June 1996 in Casablanca, the Moroccan forward came through the Raja Casablanca academy before moving to Al Ain FC in the UAE Pro League in August 2021, a switch that placed his development on an unusual path compared with many peers who chase European moves. Like fellow forward Amine Adli, he represents part of a new generation of attacking talent helping shape the Atlas Lions’ rise on the international stage.

He now wears number 21 and plays as a forward, striker, or left winger depending on tactical need. Right-footed and built at roughly 1.80 to 1.83 meters, his profile suits a modern, mobile attacker. His performances have not gone unnoticed internationally, as he was named Men’s World Best International Goalscorer by the IFFHS in early 2025.

Roots, Upbringing and Rise

In the working-class Casablanca district of Sidi Bernoussi, Soufiane Rahimi grew up with football running through nearly every part of daily life.

His family home sat beside Raja Casablanca’s Oasis training complex, where his father, Mohamed “Youaari” Rahimi, worked for years as the club’s kit man after a car accident ended his own playing hopes.

Rahimi joined Raja’s youth system in 2006, aged ten, and spent time as a ball boy before working through the academy. This same generation of homegrown talent would later help shape the Atlas Lions on the international stage.

A loan to Étoile de Casablanca in 2017-18 sharpened his game, and he broke into Raja’s first team in 2018. He would go on to win back-to-back Botola Pro Player of the Season awards at the club.

Al Ain FC Breakthrough Years

A cross-continental leap defined the next stage of Rahimi’s career when he left Raja Casablanca for Al Ain FC on 24 August 2021, a move reported at around €2.55 million. He settled quickly, debuting on 11 September and scoring within a week, then closing his first season with eight league goals and a UAE Pro League title.

The following year brought roughly eleven league goals and continued consistency. The real breakthrough arrived in 2023–24, when Al Ain claimed the AFC Champions League title, with Rahimi scoring 13 goals to earn the Golden Boot and Best Player honors, cementing his place among Asia’s top forwards. His impressive form during this period, along with standout displays at the 2024 Summer Olympics, led the club to extend his contract through 2028.

Atlas Lions Call-Up Story

While club success in the UAE was building his reputation abroad, Rahimi’s national team story had already begun to take shape years earlier. In 2020, he shone for Morocco’s local side at the African Nations Championship, finishing as best player and top scorer with five goals.

That form led to his first senior call-up in 2021 under Vahid Halilhodžić for AFCON qualifiers. He remained part of the squad pool through 2022 before Walid Regragui recalled him for March 2024 friendlies against Angola and Mauritania. Soon after, he joined Morocco’s Olympic squad, cementing his place among the country’s rising attacking options, alongside emerging talents like Bilal El Khannouss who were also shaping the Atlas Lions’ new generation. He would go on to become the first African and Arab player to finish as top scorer at an Olympic football tournament, Olympic top scorer.

Clinical Finisher Inside the Box

Strip away the passing highlights and the tournament headlines, and what remains is a forward who scores in a very specific way. Rahimi is not a volume shooter chasing every half-chance. He waits for central positions inside the penalty area, where his finishing looks instinctive rather than forced. Reports from major tournaments and club matches describe composed strikes under pressure, often in crowded spaces where hesitation usually costs a goal. His movement is selective, timed to arrive just as a cross or shift opens up. That patience, paired with a right-footed finishing profile, is what separates a clinical scorer from a busy one. This composed style echoes the kind of instinctive box play seen from other forwards representing the Atlas Lions on the biggest stages. His decisive 78th-minute finish against Haiti completed Morocco’s comeback and showcased exactly this composed, opportunistic style inside the box.

Defining Strengths

Beyond the finishing habits already covered, Rahimi’s broader profile explains why he consistently finds himself in those scoring positions in the first place. Ratings across FC 26, FUTBIN, and eFootballHUB paint a picture of an all-around wide attacker rather than a one-dimensional finisher.

1. Explosive pace lets him beat defenders in momentum shifts and open space before shots even happen.
2. Balanced dribbling allows him to carry the ball through tight areas without losing control. Like several Atlas Lions who developed their game outside the country, Rahimi’s technical foundation reflects the influence of Morocco’s diaspora on the national team’s modern identity.
3. Passing range shows he can create chances, not just finish them. His creative influence is reflected in a creative impact score of 44, rated as Strong.
4. Positional versatility across the front line adds tactical flexibility for any system.

Defining Characteristics of Soufiane Rahimi’s Game

Rahimi’s game takes shape around where and how he moves rather than a fixed label. Deployed across the front line, he drifts from wide zones into half-spaces, searching for pockets that let him face goal quickly.

His dribbling is built for speed rather than deception, using pace and tight touches to beat defenders in a straight line. Finishing remains a constant, mostly from inside the box, with his right foot preferred but his left foot far from a weakness. He also contributes to build-up through combination play, linking with teammates instead of relying solely on individual moments to create danger. This style of movement and directness mirrors the traits seen in fellow Atlas Lions forwards emerging through the national setup.

Olympic Stage: Paris 2024

At the Paris 2024 Games, Morocco called on Soufiane Rahimi as one of its permitted over-age players, adding experience to Issame Charai’s young squad. He repaid that trust by playing all six matches and scoring in every one, becoming the first player to net in six consecutive Olympic games. Rahimi’s exploits at the tournament further cemented his standing among the Atlas Lions’ forwards.

His two goals sank Argentina in the opener, and his strike against Iraq broke Morocco’s national Olympic scoring record. After a penalty in the 4-0 quarter-final win over the USA and a semi-final loss to Spain, Rahimi scored twice in the 6-0 bronze-medal rout of Egypt, finishing as top scorer with eight goals. His performance in the bronze match helped secure Morocco’s first Olympic football medal.

Role and Contribution to the Atlas Lions

Within Morocco’s senior setup, Rahimi has occupied a flexible attacking role, appearing as a central striker, a left winger, or a secondary forward depending on the system his coach favors.

Since debuting in January 2021, he has often functioned as a rotation option rather than a guaranteed starter, missing the 2022 World Cup squad along the way.

Statistical records vary between sources, but both Opta and Transfermarkt credit him with double-digit goal contributions in senior colors. This mirrors the trajectory of players like Sofiane Boufal, whose creative influence has similarly become central to the Atlas Lions’ attacking identity.

His clearest value has emerged in high-stakes moments, where late introductions have produced decisive goals, reinforcing his reputation as a dependable attacking presence within Morocco’s evolving squad. This form carried into the current campaign, where he has racked up nine goals and two assists across eleven appearances for the national team.

FAQs About Soufiane Rahimi

Questions about Soufiane Rahimi tend to follow a similar pattern, since his career path and international story raise natural curiosity.

Fans often ask about his position, his club history from Raja CA to Al Ain, and whether he has already made his senior debut for Morocco, which he has, back in 2021.

Others want to know which major tournaments he has featured in for the Atlas Lions, including his standout scoring run at the 2024 Olympics, and whether that experience has extended to the World Cup or AFCON stage. Many are also curious about his club success, particularly leading Al Ain to victory in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League. Comparisons are sometimes drawn to other Moroccan forwards who paved the way before him, such as Abdeljalil Hadda, a stalwart of the Atlas Lions in his own era.

What position is Soufiane Rahimi known for?

A quick-footed forward with an eye for goal, Soufiane Rahimi is best known as a left winger, a role that lets him drift in from the flank and attack the box with his stronger right foot. Transfermarkt and National Football Teams both list this as his main position, while FotMob and other sources classify him more simply as a striker or forward.

That mix reflects how he’s actually used: cutting inside from wide areas, but also finishing chances centrally. Standing around 180–183 cm, he has the frame for both jobs, making him a genuinely flexible attacking option.

Which clubs has Soufiane Rahimi represented?

Beyond his role on the pitch, Rahimi’s career path tells a clear story of steady progression through three clubs.

He began at Raja Club Athletic, spending his formative years with the Moroccan side between 2017 and 2021, building the foundation of his attacking game. During that stretch, he was loaned to Étoile de Casablanca for the 2017–2018 season, a short-term move designed to sharpen his development. Once that loan ended, he returned to Raja before making his biggest move in 2021, joining Al Ain FC. He has remained there since, now a key figure in the UAE Pro League.

Has Soufiane Rahimi made his Morocco senior debut?

Yes, Soufiane Rahimi has already made his senior debut for Morocco. It came on 18 January 2021 in Douala, during the 2020 African Nations Championship, as Morocco beat Togo 1-0. Rahimi started the match and played until the 85th minute, with Yahya Jabrane scoring the winning goal. He was 24 years old at the time.

His first international goal followed shortly after, against Uganda on 26 January 2021. Since that debut, Rahimi has continued featuring for the senior national team, separate from his later involvement with Morocco’s Olympic squad, building a growing record of caps and goals at the top level.

Which major tournaments has Soufiane Rahimi represented Morocco at?

Since that first cap in Douala, Rahimi has gone on to represent Morocco across several major tournaments, each adding another layer to his growing international résumé.

He was prolific at the 2020 African Nations Championship, scoring five goals in six appearances, and featured at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, contributing a goal and an assist. He also played at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations before returning for the 2025 edition, where he made three appearances.

His résumé now extends to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he has scored twice, cementing his place as a regular international performer.

Has Soufiane Rahimi played at the World Cup or AFCON?

Soufiane Rahimi has indeed played at both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, giving his international career a genuine tournament pedigree.

He earned a place in Morocco’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he made several appearances and scored vital goals, including strikes against Haiti and Canada.

His AFCON involvement stretches back to 2021, with a further appearance at AFCON 2025, where he featured in three matches without finding the net.

Together, these tournaments confirm that Rahimi has competed on both of African football’s biggest stages, with his World Cup form standing out as the more productive chapter so far.

What are Soufiane Rahimi’s defining strengths as a footballer?

Regarding raw attacking profile, pace sits at the center of what makes Rahimi dangerous. Ratings across databases place his acceleration and sprint speed among his strongest attributes, fueling his identity as a direct inside forward who attacks gaps rather than waiting for chances to arrive. That speed pairs with reliable finishing, giving him the tools to convert half-chances inside the box. Dribbling and close control let him carry the ball through pressure, while his game reading supports smart diagonal runs into space. Add positional flexibility across the front line, and the result is a forward who scores, creates, and adapts.

What has Soufiane Rahimi’s role been with the Atlas Lions?

Wearing Morocco’s colors since 2021, Rahimi has grown from a fringe attacking option into one of the Atlas Lions’ most trusted forwards. Primarily deployed as a left winger, he has also filled in at center-forward, giving coaches a flexible piece for the front line.

His tournament résumé spans the 2022 World Cup, the Paris 2024 Olympics, and the 2026 World Cup, where he scored twice and added an assist despite limited starts. Often used as an impact substitute, Rahimi has repeatedly delivered when called upon, and an injury to Ismael Saibari has since pointed toward an even larger role ahead.

Rahimi’s Legacy in Motion

Momentum has defined Rahimi’s career more than any single moment of brilliance. From Raja Casablanca’s academy to continental titles with Al Ain, each stage built naturally on the last.

His move abroad sharpened his finishing instincts, culminating in a Champions League campaign where he led all scorers and earned MVP honors. That form carried into international football, where his Olympic run in Paris turned him into Morocco’s all-time leading scorer at the Games.

Rather than peaking early, Rahimi has kept expanding his impact—club, continent, and country reinforcing one another. His story now stands as a steady, ongoing rise rather than a finished arc.