Abdelhak Nouri

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Abdelhak Nouri

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Abdelhak Nouri{{cite web|url = https://int.soccerway.com/players/abdelhak-nouri/319304/ | title =Abdelhak Nouri | publisher = Soccerway.com | access-date = 14 July 2023}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|4|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Amsterdam, Netherlands

| height = 1.67 m{{cite web |url=http://www.ajax.nl/teams/ajax-1/selectie/speler/abdelhak-nouri-1.htm |title=Abdelhak Nouri |publisher=AFC Ajax |access-date=14 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417023416/http://www.ajax.nl/teams/ajax-1/selectie/speler/abdelhak-nouri-1.htm |archive-date=17 April 2017 |url-status=dead }}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 2005–2015

| youthclubs1 = Ajax

| years1 = 2015–2017

| clubs1 = Jong Ajax

| caps1 = 45

| goals1 = 11

| years2 = 2015–2017

| clubs2 = Ajax

| caps2 = 9

| goals2 = 0

| totalcaps = 54

| totalgoals = 11

| nationalyears1 = 2012

| nationalteam1 = Netherlands U15

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2012–2013

| nationalteam2 = Netherlands U16

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2013–2014

| nationalteam3 = Netherlands U17

| nationalcaps3 = 12

| nationalgoals3 = 5

| nationalyears4 = 2014

| nationalteam4 = Netherlands U18

| nationalcaps4 = 2

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| nationalyears5 = 2014–2016

| nationalteam5 = Netherlands U19

| nationalcaps5 = 19

| nationalgoals5 = 9

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{fb|Netherlands}}}}

}}

Abdelhak "Appie" Nouri (born 2 April 1997) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He operated primarily as an attacking midfielder, but could also be deployed as a winger.

A youth product of Eredivisie club Ajax, Nouri played two years of senior football with its reserve team and the first team. He also represented the Netherlands at various youth levels.

In July 2017, at age 20, during a pre-season friendly match, Nouri collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack, which left him with severe and permanent brain damage and unable to continue his career as a footballer.

Early life

Nouri was born in Amsterdam and is of Moroccan descent.{{cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2194100-laatste-interview-appie-nouri-vanavond-op-tv.html|title=Laatste interview 'Appie' Nouri vanavond op tv|date=21 September 2017 }} A promising youth player, he was named as one of the best 40 youth players in the world by The Guardian in 2014, before he made his professional debut.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/ng-interactive/2014/oct/14/next-generation-2014-40-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football|title=Next Generation 2014: 40 of the best young talents in world football|first1=Guardian|last1=sport|first2=Garry|last2=Blight|first3=Garry|last3=Blight|work=The Guardian}}

Club career

Nouri was a youth exponent from the academy at Ajax, and made his professional debut for the reserve side, Jong Ajax, on 13 March 2015, in an Eerste Divisie game against VVV Venlo, replacing Danny Bakker after 78 minutes in a 1–0 loss.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/03/13/netherlands/eerste-divisie/vvv-venlo/jong-ajax/1691669/|title=VVV Venlo vs. Jong Ajax - 13 March 2015 - Soccerway|publisher=soccerway.com|access-date=22 March 2015}}

On 21 September 2016, Nouri made his official first-team debut in a KNVB Cup match against Willem II, and scored a goal. His exploits throughout the season for Jong Ajax saw him being gifted the Player of the Season award for the 2016–17 season, as well as promotion to the first team for the 2017–18 season.{{Twitter|864515876544008196|AFC Ajax}}

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File:Jan Mulder over Nouri.webm talks about Nouri in a broadcast from De Wereld Draait Door, 9 January 2018 {{In lang|nl}}]]

On 8 July 2017, Nouri collapsed during a friendly match against Werder Bremen, due to cardiac arrhythmia. He was taken to the hospital by a trauma helicopter, and his condition was announced as stable.{{cite tweet|user=AFCAjax|number=883720860904947712|title=UPDATE NOURI Er was sprake van hartritmestoornissen. Hij is stabiel, heeft hartslag & wordt in slaap gehouden.|date=8 July 2017|language=nl}}{{cite news|title=Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri collapses during pre-season friendly|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40544779|work=BBC Sport|date=8 July 2017}} Five days later, however, Ajax reported that Nouri had suffered severe and permanent brain damage as a direct result of the incident,{{cite news|title=Ajax midfielder Nouri suffers 'permanent brain damage' .|url=http://www.itv.com/news/2017-07-13/ajax-midfielder-nouri-suffers-permanent-brain-damage/|access-date=13 July 2017|work=ITV News|date=13 July 2017}} and was in intensive care. Nouri eventually left intensive care on 25 July 2017, being able to breathe unaided, but not be able to play football again.{{cite news|url=http://www.ajax.nl/streams/ajax-actueel/update-situatie-abdelhak-nouri.htm|title=Update situatie Abdelhak Nouri|publisher=AFC Ajax N.V.|date=25 July 2017|access-date=25 July 2017|language=nl}} In June 2018, Ajax announced an investigation had found that the medical treatment Nouri received on the field was "inadequate",{{cite news |title=Abdelhak Nouri: Ajax say medical treatment of midfielder was "inadequate" |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44609915 |access-date=26 June 2018 |work=BBC Sport |date=26 June 2018}} which prompted a lawsuit from Nouri's family against Ajax through the Royal Dutch Football Association's arbitration panel, who stated a failure to resuscitate him with due haste was responsible for causing his brain damage.{{cite news |title=Family holds Ajax responsible for footballer Abdelhak Nouri's brain damage |url=https://nltimes.nl/2018/06/04/family-holds-ajax-responsible-footballer-abdelhak-nouris-brain-damage |access-date=27 December 2018 |work=NL Times|date=4 June 2018}}

By August 2018, Nouri was no longer in a coma.{{cite news |last1=Sky Sports News |title=Ajax's Nouri awake after year-long coma |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11913/11478479/ajax-midfielder-abdelhak-appie-nouri-comes-round-from-year-long-coma |access-date=22 August 2018 |agency=Sky Sports |date=21 August 2018}} By September 2019, Nouri was confirmed to still be in hospital.{{cite news |last1=Mazur |first1=Martin |title=Abdelhak Nouri: The Ajax prodigy who suffered permanent brain damage |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49535481 |access-date=14 November 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=19 September 2019}} On 27 March 2020, Nouri's family confirmed he had awoken from his coma and returned home to his family, where he will continue to receive treatment.{{cite web |last1=Westwood |first1=James |title=Ajax star Nouri improving and watching football after waking from coma |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/ajax-star-nouri-improving-and-watching-football-after-waking/1fkxvokrlgugq1p2fx1w5hnc62 |website=Goal |access-date=27 March 2020 |date=27 March 2020}}{{cite web |title=Abdelhak Nouri: Ajax player back home with family after 2017 heart attack |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52063916 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=1 April 2020 |date=27 March 2020}} Shortly afterwards, Ajax announced they cancelled Nouri's contract, which was due to automatically renew on 1 July, and that they were in talks with his family about a "future solution" for Nouri.{{cite news |title=Ajax cancel contract of player stricken after heart attack |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-netherlands-aja/ajax-cancel-contract-of-player-stricken-after-heart-attack-idUKKBN21I0TV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401043709/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-netherlands-aja/ajax-cancel-contract-of-player-stricken-after-heart-attack-idUKKBN21I0TV |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 April 2020 |access-date=1 April 2020 |work=Reuters |date=31 March 2020}} In February 2022, Ajax announced the agreement with Nouri's family included a payment of €7.85 million, that the club would cover all his medical bills, and would retire his number 34 jersey.{{Cite web|title=Familie Nouri en Ajax treffen schikking|url=https://www.ajax.nl/artikelen/familie-nouri-en-ajax-treffen-schikking/|access-date=2022-02-22|website=www.ajax.nl|language=nl-NL}}

In April 2024, Nouri's brother, Abderrahim, stated that he was "awake" but still "isn't his old self."{{Cite web |last=Babas |first=Latifa |title=Abdelhak Nouri "awake, not in coma", says brother on 27th birthday |url=https://www.msn.com/en-xl/health/other/abdelhak-nouri-awake-not-in-coma-says-brother-on-27th-birthday/ar-BB1l14Xn |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=MSN}}

= Tributes =

Following Nouri's retirement, several tributes were conducted in his honour in and outside football.{{cite web |last1=Varley |first1=Ciaran |title=The touching reason players are wearing the number 34 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/abbf8564-5453-4f69-9a08-5d85630a5268 |website=BBC Three |access-date=9 January 2019 |date=6 January 2019}}{{cite news |title=Justin Kluivert to adopt Abdelhak Nouri shirt number at Roma |url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/as-roma/story/3558707/justin-kluivert-to-adopt-abdelhak-nouri-shirt-number-at-roma |access-date=27 December 2018 |publisher=ESPN FC |date=7 July 2018}} In December 2018, Ajax renamed their "Talent of the Future" award after Nouri,{{cite news |last1=Pieters |first1=Janene |title=Ajax renames talent award after Abdelhak Nouri |url=https://nltimes.nl/2018/06/08/ajax-renames-talent-award-abdelhak-nouri |access-date=27 December 2018 |work=NL Times|date=8 June 2018}} while a number of Nouri's former club and international teammates, including Justin Kluivert, Philippe Sandler, Amin Younes, Donny van de Beek, Kevin Diks, Joël Veltman, Anwar El Ghazi, Steven Bergwijn, Sofyan Amrabat, and Chadi Riad adopted Nouri's shirt number (34) at their new clubs.{{cite news |title=El Ghazi's Emotional Reason for Shirt Number Choice |url= https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2446657/el-ghazis-emotional-reason-for-shirt-number-choice |access-date= 13 January 2022 |work= Everton FC |date= 13 January 2022}}{{cite news |title=Donny van de Beek: Man Utd sign Ajax midfielder for £35m |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53977831 |access-date=2 September 2020 |work=BBC Sport |date=2 September 2020}}{{cite news |title=Amrabat: 'I chose Viola with my heart' |url=https://www.football-italia.net/158402/amrabat-i-chose-viola-my-heart |access-date=26 October 2020 |work=Football Italia |date=11 September 2020}} Ajax's 34th league championship was dedicated to Nouri by the players, who celebrated with his father during the trophy presentation in May 2019.{{cite web |title=Ajax: 100,000 fans turn up to celebrate league and cup double |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48310042 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=27 June 2019 |date=17 May 2019}}{{cite web |title=Ajax boss Ten Hag's beautiful dedication after title win |url=https://en.as.com/en/2019/05/16/football/1557992386_720249.html |website=AS.com |access-date=27 June 2019 |date=16 May 2019}} On 12 June 2022, a square in Amsterdam Nieuw-West was renamed the "A. Nouri Plein".{{cite web |title=Opening Abdelhak Nouri plein in Nieuw-West|url=https://vrijetijdamsterdam.nl/sport/opening-abdelhak-nouri-plein-in-nieuw-west/ |website=Vrije tijd Amsterdam |access-date=30 May 2022 |date=30 May 2022}}

Honours

Ajax

UEFA Europa League: runner-up 2016–17{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2017/overview/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702090446/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2017/overview/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 July 2017|title=2016/17: United win it for Manchester|publisher=UEFA|date=30 May 2017}}

Individual

Best player of AEGON Future Cup: 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajaxshowtime.com/article/hoofdnieuws/78592/nouri-verkozen-tot-grootste-talent.html |title=Nouri verkozen tot grootste talent |date=21 April 2014 |publisher=Ajaxshowtime.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}
UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2016
Eerste Divisie Player of the Season: 2016–17