Ilyas Chouaref

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ilyas Chouaref

| image =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|12|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Châteauroux, France

| height = 1.77 m

| position = Winger

| currentclub = Sion

| clubnumber = 7

| youthyears1 = 2006–2018

| youthclubs1 = Châteauroux

| years1 = 2017–2022

| clubs1 = Châteauroux II

| caps1 = 28

| goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2018–2022

| clubs2 = Châteauroux

| caps2 = 73

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 2022–

| clubs3 = Sion

| caps3 = 87

| goals3 = 12

| nationalyears1 = 2019

| nationalteam1 = France U19

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2025–

| nationalteam2 = Malta

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 29 December 2024

| nationalteam-update = 21 March 2025

}}

Ilyas Chouaref (born 12 December 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Swiss Super League club Sion. Born in France, he represents the Malta national team.

Club career

Chouaref is a youth product of LB Châteauroux. He made his debut with them in a 2–1 Ligue 2 loss to Le Havre ACon 4 December 2018.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/12/04/france/ligue-2/le-havre-athletic-club-football-associat/la-berrichonne-chateauroux/2792759/|title=Le Havre vs. Châteauroux - 4 December 2018 - Soccerway|website=Soccerway}} On 1 October 2019, he signed a professional contract with the club.{{Cite web|url=https://maligue2.fr/2019/10/01/cette-fois-cest-officiel-ilyas-chouaref-passe-professionnel-a-chateauroux/|title=Cette fois c'est officiel, Ilyas Chouaref passe professionnel à Châteauroux !|date=1 October 2019|website=MaLigue2}}

On 12 June 2022, Chouaref transferred to Sion in Switzerland.{{cite web|publisher=Sion|url=https://www.fcsion.ch/fr/news/detail/2556/ilyas-chouaref-est-valaisan--|title=Ilyas Chouaref est valaisan !|date=12 June 2022|access-date=13 July 2022|language=fr}}

International career

Born in France, Chouaref is of Moroccan and Maltese descent. He was a youth international for France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afriquesports.net/afrique/une-pepite-marocaine-de-19-ans-dans-le-viseur-de-las-saint-etienne/|title=Une pépite marocaine de 19 ans dans le viseur de l'AS Saint-Etienne|first=Mouhamed|last=Diallo|date=12 June 2020}} On 18 February 2025, Bjorn Vassallo, president of the Malta FA confirmed that Chouaref had obtained Maltese citizenship.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.facebook.com/mfa1900/videos/610271981859731/ |title=Malta National Teams Press Conference 🇲🇹 ⚽ {{!}} Malta National Teams Press Conference 🇲🇹 ⚽ {{!}} By Malta Football Association – 1900 {{!}} Facebook |language=en |access-date=2025-02-18 |via=facebook.com}}

On 21 March 2025, Chouaref made his debut for Malta against Finland in a World Cup qualifying match, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–1 loss.{{cite web |title=Malta-Finland | European Qualifiers 2026 | UEFA.com |url=https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044165--malta-vs-finland/ |access-date=21 March 2025}}

Personal life

His elder half-brother Hamza Sakhi is also a footballer.{{cite web|url=https://www.leberry.fr/auxerre-89000/sports/avant-aja-chateauroux-sakhi-chouaref-sur-le-terrain-on-est-adversaires-avant-detre-freres_13903607/|title=Avant AJA-Châteauroux, Sakhi-Chouaref : "Sur le terrain, on est adversaires avant d'être frères"|work=Le Berry Républicain |trans-title=Before AJA-Châteauroux, Sakhi-Chouaref: "On the ground, we are adversaries before being brothers"|publisher=Le Berry (Groupe Centre-France)|date=16 January 2021|language=fr|access-date=1 August 2022 |last1=Bouali |first1=Julien Ben }}{{cite web|url=https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/chateauroux/auxerre-berrichonne-le-match-d-une-vie-pour-hamza-sakhi|title=Auxerre - Berrichonne : le match d'une vie pour Hamza Sakhi|trans-title=Auxerre - Berrichonne : le match d'une vie pour Hamza Sakhi|publisher=Le Nouvelle Republique|date=15 January 2021|language=fr|access-date=1 August 2022}}