Redouan El Yaakoubi

{{short description|Dutch footballer (born 1996)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Redouan El Yaakoubi

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|1|25|df=yes}}

| image =

| birth_place = Utrecht, Netherlands

| height = 1.83 m

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = RKC Waalwijk

| clubnumber = 32

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2015 | youthclubs1 = USV Elinkwijk

| years1 = 2015–2017 | clubs1 = De Meern | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 2017–2019 | clubs2 = Jong Utrecht | caps2 = 46 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2019–2021 | clubs3 = Telstar | caps3 = 57 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2021–2024 | clubs4 = Excelsior | caps4 = 93 | goals4 = 8

| years5 = 2025– | clubs5 = RKC Waalwijk | caps5 = 7 | goals5 = 0

| pcupdate = 11:47, 28 May 2025 (UTC)

| ntupdate =

}}

Redouan El Yaakoubi (born 25 January 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central defender for {{Dutch football updater|RKCWaalwi}} club RKC Waalwijk.

Club career

El Yaakoubi played in the youth academy of USV Elinkwijk. In 2015, he joined Hoofdklasse club VV De Meern.{{cite news |title=El Yaakoubi (21) vertrekt van hoofdklasser VV de Meern naar FC Utrecht |url=https://www.voetballoopbaan.nl/nieuws/el-yaakoubi-21-vertrekt-van-hoofdklasser-vv-de-meern-naar-fc-utrecht |work=Voetballoopbaan |date=8 June 2017}} With De Meern, El Yaakoubi promoted to the Derde Divisie.{{cite news |last1=Bos |first1=Stan |title=De Meern promoveert naar derde divisie |url=https://www.ad.nl/utrecht/de-meern-promoveert-naar-derde-divisie~aa66b579/ |work=Algemeen Dagblad |date=28 May 2017 |language=nl}} In May 2017, after having initially decided to move to DVS '33, El Yaakoubi opted to sign for FC Utrecht led by manager Erik ten Hag.{{cite news |last1=Jansen |first1=Marco |title=DVS-aanwinst El Yaakoubi wil naar FC Utrecht |url=https://www.destentor.nl/amateurvoetbal/dvs-aanwinst-el-yaakoubi-wil-naar-fc-utrecht~a49b9c0f/ |work=de Stentor |date=30 May 2017 |language=nl}} He made his Eerste Divisie debut for Jong FC Utrecht on 25 August 2017 in a game against FC Dordrecht.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/08/25/netherlands/eerste-divisie/bvo-fc-dordrecht/jong-utrecht/2463193/|title=Game Report by Soccerway|date=25 August 2017|publisher=Soccerway}}

After six matches for the reserve team in the Eerste Divisie, El Yaakoubi signed his first professional contract with FC Utrecht; a two-and-a-half-year deal with an option for an additional season.{{cite news |title=El Yaakoubi tekent zijn allereerste profcontract bij FC Utrecht |url=https://sportnieuws.nl/voetbal/binnenland/el-yaakoubi-tekent-allereerste-profcontract-fc-utrecht/ |work=Sportnieuws |date=8 November 2017 |language=nl-NL}} In July 2019, however, he signed for two years with SC Telstar.{{cite web |title=Redouan El Yaakoubi vervolgt loopbaan in Velsen-Zuid |url=https://www.fcutrecht.nl/nieuws/2019/juli/redouan-el-yaakoubi-vervolgt-loopbaan-in-velsen-zuid/ |website=FC Utrecht |language=nl |date=19 July 2019}}

On 6 April 2021, El Yaakoubi signed a two-year contract with Excelsior with an option for an additional season.{{cite web |title=Excelsior slaat eerste slag en legt ambitieuze en fanatieke Redouan el Yaakoubi vast |url=https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl/2021/04/excelsior-slaat-eerste-slag-en-legt-ambitieuze-en-fanatieke-redouan-el-yaakoubi-vast/ |website=Excelsior Rotterdam |language=nl |date=6 April 2021}} On 28 March 2023, the club announced he had relinquished the club captaincy after refusing to pose in a team photo with a banner marking the OneLove campaign, which embraces inclusiveness, connection, tolerance and opposition to all forms of discrimination.{{cite news |title=Dutch defender gives up captaincy after refusing to pose with OneLove banner |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/dutch-defender-gives-up-captaincy-after-refusing-pose-with-onelove-banner-2023-03-28/ |access-date=28 June 2024 |work=Reuters |date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329204121/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/dutch-defender-gives-up-captaincy-after-refusing-pose-with-onelove-banner-2023-03-28/ |archive-date=29 March 2023}}{{cite news |title=Redouan El Yaakoubi: Excelsior Rotterdam player relinquishes captaincy over OneLove row |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65107716 |access-date=28 June 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516184726/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65107716 |archive-date=16 May 2023 |language=nl}}

On 30 January 2025, El Yaakoubi signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with RKC Waalwijk.{{cite web|publisher=RKC Waalwijk|url=https://www.rkcwaalwijk.nl/redouan-el-yaakoubi-tekent-een-contract-voor-anderhalfjaar|title=Redouan El Yaakoubi tekent een contract voor anderhalf jaar|trans-title=Redouan El Yaakoubi signs a contract for one and a half years|date=30 January 2025|access-date=1 February 2025|language=nl}}

Personal life

Born in the Netherlands, El Yaakoubi is of Moroccan descent.{{Cite web|url=https://lionsdelatlas.ma/2457470-au-moins-41-marocains-en-deuxieme-division-neerlandaise|title=Au moins 41 Marocains en deuxième division néerlandaise|date=20 August 2019}}

References

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