Mouhcine Iajour

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mouhcine Iajour

| image = Mouhcine Iajour, Le360 - Apr 30, 2019.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Iajour interviewed on 30 April 2019

| fullname = Mouhcine Iajour{{cite web |title=FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FCWC/2014/pdf/FCWC_2014_SquadLists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=4 |date=15 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711154142/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FCWC/2014/pdf/FCWC_2014_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1985|6|14}}

| birth_place = Casablanca, Morocco

| height = {{convert|1.78|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| currentclub = MA Tétouan

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2003–2007

| clubs1 = Raja Casablanca

| caps1 = 42

| goals1 = 7

| years2 = 2007–2008

| clubs2 = Chiasso

| caps2 = 19

| goals2 = 7

| years3 = 2008–2010

| clubs3 = Charleroi

| caps3 = 28

| goals3 = 4

| years4 = 2010–2012

| clubs4 = Wydad Casablanca

| caps4 = 64

| goals4 = 20

| years5 = 2012–2014

| clubs5 = Raja Casablanca

| caps5 = 75

| goals5 = 28

| years6 = 2014–2015

| clubs6 = MA Tétouan

| caps6 = 26

| goals6 = 18

| years7 = 2015–2016

| clubs7 = Qatar SC

| caps7 = 15

| goals7 = 8

| years8 = 2016

| clubs8 = → Al Ahli (loan)

| caps8 = 13

| goals8 = 10

| years10 = 2016–2017

| clubs10 = Al Khor

| caps10 = 18

| goals10 = 5

| years11 = 2017–2019

| clubs11 = Raja Casablanca

| caps11 = 93

| goals11 = 53

| years12 = 2019–2020

| clubs12 = Damac

| caps12 = 12

| goals12 = 3

| years13 = 2020–2021

| clubs13 = RS Berkane

| caps13 = 24

| goals13 = 10

| years14 = 2022

| clubs14 = Renaissance Zemamra

| years15 = 2022–2023

| clubs15 = RC Oued Zem

| years16 = 2023–

| clubs16 = MA Tétouan

| nationalyears1 = 2003–2004

| nationalteam1 = Morocco U-20

| nationalcaps1 = 17

| nationalgoals1 = 9

| nationalyears2 = 2004–2015

| nationalteam2 = Morocco

| nationalcaps2 = 16

| nationalgoals2 = 7

| pcupdate = 24 November 2017

| ntupdate = 24 November 2017

}}

Mouhcine Iajour ({{langx|ar|محسن ياجور}}; born 14 June 1986) is a Moroccan football striker{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3907687.stm|title=Under-20 round-up|last=Thomas|first= Durosimi|date=19 July 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=9 April 2009}} who currently plays for Botola club MA Tétouan.

In 2013, Iajour became the first African footballer to be FIFA Club World Cup's top scorer and Bronze Ball, advancing with Raja Casablanca into the final played against European champions Bayern Munich.{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/newsid=2249180/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222132212/http://www.fifa.com//clubworldcup/news/newsid=2249180/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 December 2013 | title=Awards for Bayern duo and Iajour |work=Fédération Internationale de Football Association | access-date=21 December 2013}} Previously, only Congolese Dioko Kaluyituka won the Silver Ball in 2010.{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/clubworldcup/uae2010/awards/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813033104/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/clubworldcup/uae2010/awards/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 August 2011 | title=2010 FIFA Club World Cup awards |work=Fédération Internationale de Football Association | access-date=5 March 2013}}

Club career

=Raja Casablanca=

Iajour began his career at his hometown club Raja Casablanca, in 2003. After staying there for four years, he moved to FC Chiasso.

=FC Chiasso=

In August 2007 when the Arabian Clubs Tournament was finished, Mouhcine decided to stay in Switzerland without the permission of his club Raja Casablanca. On 28 October 2007, Iajour has appeared for the first time in official match with the team of FC Chiasso.

=Return to Raja Casablanca=

He returned to Raja Casablanca in 2012. After a season, he won his first league title with Raja. In 2013, Raja qualified to FIFA Club World Cup as league champions of host country. On 11 December 2013, Iajour scored a goal in the 2–1 victory against Auckland City FC, in the play-off for quarter finals. His team eventually defeated Monterrey with 2–1 in the quarter finals to pass in the semi-finals. On 18 December 2013, he scored a goal in the historical 3–1 victory against Atletico Mineiro in the semi-finals. But in the final, Raja Casablanca was defeated by UEFA Champions League holders, Bayern Munich with 2–0. Iajour become one of the FIFA Club World Cup top scorers for 2013, together with Dario Conca, César Delgado and Ronaldinho. He received the FIFA Club World Cup bronze ball.

=Damac=

On 21 July 2019, Iajour joined the newly promoted Damac in the Saudi Professional League.{{cite web|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=833686&o=n3017420|title=ضمك يحسم صفقة محسن ياجور|website=Kooora|language=Arabic|date=21 July 2019}}

=RS Berkane=

In January 2020, Iajour returned to Morocco to play for RS Berkane.{{cite web |url=https://africanfootballhq.com/rs-berkane-sign-mouhcine-iajour/ |title=RS Berkane sign Mouhcine Iajour and Zakaria Hadraf |website=African Football HQ |date=10 January 2020 }}

=MA Tétouan=

On 4 September 2023, Iajour returned to play in his former club MA Tétouan.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-04 |title=ياجور يدافع عن ألوان المغرب التطواني |url=https://www.hespress.com/%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-1226704.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية |language=ar}}

International career

=Youth=

In the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship Iajour has scored three goals and helped Morocco to move to the semi-finals, where they were defeated 3–0 by Nigeria. Morocco ended the tournament in fourth place after a 2–1 loss to Brazil.

=Senior=

In January 2014, coach Hassan Benabicha, invited him to be a part of the Moroccan squad for the 2014 African Nations Championship.{{cite web | url=http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3955/africa/2014/01/06/4525203/morocco-name-chan-squad | title=Morocco name Chan squad | publisher=goal.com | accessdate=12 March 2014}} He helped the team to top group B after drawing with Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe and defeating Uganda.{{cite web | url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201401130673.html | title=Burkina Faso/Morocco: Chan 2014 – Morocco and Burkina Faso On the Scene, All the Day's Program | publisher=allafrica.com | accessdate=12 March 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.cafonline.com/competition/african-nations-championship_2014/news/19198-morocco-1--0-uganda.html | title=CHAN 2014: Final Result: Morocco 3 – 1 Uganda | publisher=cafonline.com | accessdate=12 March 2014}} The team was eliminated from the competition at the quarter final zone after losing to Nigeria.{{cite web|url=http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=3&i=10919 |title=CHAN 2014: Morocco, Zimbabwe Clinch Quarter Finals places with Last Group B wins |publisher=tripolipost.com |accessdate=12 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312213332/http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=3&i=10919 |archivedate=12 March 2014 }}{{cite web|url=http://allsports.com.gh/2014/01/25/chan-2014-nigeria-stun-morocco-to-make-the-semi-final/ |title=CHAN 2014: Nigeria stun Morocco to make the semi-final |publisher=allsports.com.gh |accessdate=12 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127101237/http://allsports.com.gh/2014/01/25/chan-2014-nigeria-stun-morocco-to-make-the-semi-final/ |archivedate=27 January 2014 }}

=International goals=

:Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first.{{NFT player|id=12932|accessdate=14 October 2021}}

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable"
1.	16 November 2014	Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco	{{fb\|SUI}}	align=center\|2–0	align=center\| 2–1	Friendly
2.	20 January 2014	rowspan=2 \| Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa	{{fb\|UGA}}	align=center\|2–1	align=center\| 3–1	rowspan=2 \| 2014 African Nations Championship
3.	25 January 2014	{{fb\|NGA}}	align=center\|2–0	align=center\| 3–4 {{aet}}
4.	7 September 2014	rowspan=2 \| Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco	{{fb\|LBY}}	align=center\|3–0	align=center\| 3–0	rowspan=3 \| Friendly
5.	13 October 2014	{{fb\|KEN}}	align=center\|3–0	align=center\| 3–0
6.	16 November 2014	Stade Adrar, Agadir, Morocco	{{fb\|ZIM}}	align=center\|2–1	align=center\| 2–1
7.	21 June 2015	Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco	{{fb\|LBY}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 3–0	2016 African Nations Championship qualification

Honours

= Club =

Raja Casablanca

RS Berkane

CAF Confederation Cup: 2020
CAF Super Cup: runner-up: 2021

= Individual =

FIFA Club World Cup top scorer: 2013
FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2013
Botola Pro top scorer: 2017–18, 2018–19
Moroccan Throne Cup top scorer: 2017
Raja Casablanca Player of the Season: 2018–19

= International =

Morocco

African Youth Championship Golden boot: 2005

References

External links

{{FIFA player|230251}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120914025750/http://guardian.touch-line.com/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=6&CPID=10&pStr=Player&PLID=211106&TEID=319 Guardian Football]
{{NFT player|pid=12932}}

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Casablanca

Category:Moroccan men's footballers

Category:21st-century Moroccan sportsmen

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:MA Tétouan players

Category:Raja CA players

Category:Wydad AC players

Category:FC Chiasso players

Category:Qatar SC players

Category:Al Ahli SC (Doha) players