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Ryan Mmaee

{{short description|Moroccan footballer}}

{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ryan Mmaee

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Ryan Mmaee A'Nwambeben Kabir

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|11|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Geraardsbergen, Belgium

| height = 1.85 m

| position = Forward

| currentclub = Stoke City

| clubnumber = 19

| youthyears1 = 2004–2005

| youthclubs1 = KV Zuun

| youthyears2 = 2005–2010

| youthclubs2 = RWDM Brussels

| youthyears3 = 2010–2013

| youthclubs3 = Gent

| youthyears4 = 2013–2015

| youthclubs4 = Standard Liège

| years1 = 2015–2019

| clubs1 = Standard Liège

| caps1 = 13

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2017–2018

| clubs2 = → Waasland-Beveren (loan)

| caps2 = 18

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2018–2019

| clubs3 = → AGF (loan)

| caps3 = 9

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2019–2021

| clubs4 = AEL Limassol

| caps4 = 50

| goals4 = 19

| years5 = 2021–2023

| clubs5 = Ferencváros

| caps5 = 45

| goals5 = 25

| years6 = 2023–

| clubs6 = Stoke City

| caps6 = 27

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2024–2025

| clubs7 = → Rapid Wien (loan)

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016

| nationalteam1 = Belgium U19

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 2016–2017

| nationalteam2 = Belgium U21

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2016–

| nationalteam3 = Morocco

| nationalcaps3 = 12

| nationalgoals3 = 4

| club-update = 16:07, 31 August 2024 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 10 December 2022

}}

Ryan Mmaee A'Nwambeben Kabir ({{Langx|ar|ريان ماي}}; born 1 November 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{English football updater|StokeCty}} club Stoke City. Born in Belgium, he represents Morocco internationally.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/ryan-mmaee/403829/|title=Belgium -R. Mmaee – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=8 May 2023}}

Mmaee began his professional career in 2015 with Standard Liège, making his debut at the age of 17. Disagreements with the club management saw him loaned out to Waasland-Beveren and Danish side AGF. He moved to Cyprus in 2019 joining AEL Limassol. After scoring 17 goals in 2020–21 he earned a move to Hungarian champions Ferencváros in July 2021. He spent two seasons with Ferencváros, winning back-to-back league titles and a Magyar Kupa before signing for English side Stoke City in July 2023.

Club career

=Early life and career=

Mmaee was born in Geraardsbergen, Belgium to a Cameroonian father Nwambebeg Mmaee, and a Moroccan mother Fatima.{{cite web |last1=Brossard |first1=Clément |title=Ryan Mmaee : " On se disait qu'on allait surprendre beaucoup de monde " |url=https://www.sofoot.com/articles/ryan-mmaee-on-se-disait-quon-allait-surprendre-beaucoup-de-monde-c3-gr-h-ferencvaros-monaco |trans-title=Ryan Mmaee: " We thought we were going to surprise a lot of people " |website=So Foot |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=French |date=27 October 2022}} After his birth, his family moved to Sint-Pieters-Leeuw. At school, he studied mathematical sciences at the Royal Athenaeum in Halle. It was in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw that Mmaee began playing football, with the amateur club KV Zuun. A year later, he enrolled in the academy of RWDM Brussels. In 2010, he joined Gent. Three years later, he joined Standard Liège with his brother Samy Mmaee.

=Standard Liège=

Mmaee made his Belgian Pro League debut on 21 May 2015, at the age of 17 against Gent replacing Mehdi Carcela after 82 minutes in a 2–0 away defeat.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/05/21/belgium/pro-league/koninklijke-atletiek-associatie-gent/standard-de-liege/2021836/|title=Gent vs. Standard Liège – 21 May 2015|website=Soccerway|accessdate=22 May 2015}} Mmaee and his brother, Samy signed professional three-year contracts with Standard in August 2015.{{cite web |last1=Banda |first1=Benjamin |title=Le Standard prolonge les frères Mmaee ! |url=https://www.walfoot.be/news/2015-08-22/le-standard-prolonge-les-freres-mmaee|trans-title= Standard extends the Mmaee brothers! |website=Walfoot |date=22 August 2015 |access-date=1 August 2023}} In the 2015–16 season he made seven appearances as Standard finished in seventh position. After playing in a few matches at the start of 2016–17, Mmaee was dropped from the first team back to the u-23s after he had an argument with manager Aleksandar Janković and an altercation with the physical trainer.{{cite web |last1=Collignon |first1=Julien |title=La descente aux enfers de Ryan Mmaee |url=https://www.7sur7.be/home/la-descente-aux-enfers-de-ryan-mmaee~a48cde6a/ |trans-title=Ryan Mmaee's Descent into Hell |website=7sur7.be |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=French |date=29 November 2016}} Mmaee later explained what happened— "At 19, we want to play every game. When you don't play, you are disappointed, and your reactions are not always appropriate. I was young, I was learning on the job, I made mistakes when, I think, the club did not trust young people enough. I was upset in training because I was not selected in the group, I let it be known, and there were bound to be consequences. I thought it was all going to happen naturally. I was playing with the Belgian national team as a youth, I was upgraded to Standard, I thought it was going to happen so quickly in the professional world. It was not I don't care, but naivety".

He briefly returned to the first-team at the end of the season but after signing a contract extension he was loaned out to Waasland-Beveren with an option to buy.{{cite web |title=Le Standard prolonge Ryan Mmaee, puis le prête à Waasland-Beveren |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/le-standard-prolonge-ryan-mmaee-puis-le-prete-a-waasland-beveren-9695311 |trans-title=Standard extends Ryan Mmaee, then loans him to Waasland-Beveren |website=RTBF |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=French}} Mmaee played in 20 matches in 2017–18, scoring only once as Waasland-Beveren finished in 12th place and they decided against the purchase option and he returned to Standard.{{cite web |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Manuel |title=Ryan Mmaee repassera bien par Sclessin |trans-title=Ryan Mmaee will come back well by Sclessin|url=https://www.walfoot.be/news/2018-05-03/ryan-mmaee-repassera-bien-par-sclessin |website=Walfoot |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=French |date=8 May 2018}} On 31 August 2018, Mmaee joined Danish Superliga side AGF Aarhus on loan for the 2018–19 season.{{cite web |last1=Horwood |first1=Jordan |title=Officiel : Ryan Mmaee prêté sur le fil dans un championnat inattendu |url=https://www.walfoot.be/news/2018-09-01/ryan-mmaee-prete-par-le-standard-de-liege-a-aarhus |trans-title=Official: Ryan Mmaee on loan in an unexpected championship |website=Walfoot |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=French |date=1 September 2018}} He made 12 appearances, scoring three goals all of which came in the Danish Cup. Mmaee stated that he did not enjoy his time in Denmark—"My teammates were nice, but the people in Denmark were quite cold. When we arrived at the club in the morning, we didn't shake hands, and when I was driving and let a pedestrian cross the road, there was no small gesture of thanks."

=AEL Limassol=

After leaving Standard Liège, Mmaee signed a three-year contract with Cypriot First Division side AEL Limassol on 10 September 2019. He scored eight goals in 24 appearances in 2019–20 until the league was suspended on 15 May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=FIFPRO surprised at Cyprus league cancellation |url=https://fifpro.org/en/supporting-players/health-and-performance/covid-19/cyprus-league-cancellation-1/ |website=FIFPRO |access-date=3 August 2023}} In 2020–21, Mmaee scored 17 goals as AEL Limassol finished in third place.{{cite web |last1=Malice |first1=Florent |title=Ryan Mmaee épanoui à Chypre : "J'ai trouvé la maturité qui me faisait défaut" |trans-title=Ryan Mmaee flourishing in Cyprus: "I found the maturity that I was lacking" |url=https://www.walfoot.be/news/2021-04-14/ryan-mmaee-epanoui-a-lael-limassol--jai-trouve-la-maturite-qui-me-faisait-defaut |website=Walfoot |date=14 April 2021 |access-date=5 August 2023 |language=French}}

=Ferencváros=

Mmaee signed for Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I champions Ferencváros in May 2021, linking up with his brother Samy.{{cite web |title=SIGNING FROM THE CYPRIOT DREAM TEAM |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/signing-from-the-cypriot-dream-team |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=5 August 2023}} He scored on his debut for Fradi, on 6 July 2021 in a 3–0 win over Kosovan side Prishtina in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round.{{cite web |title=MMAEE DEBUT WITH A GOAL, FTC-PRISHTINA 3–0 |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/mmaee-debut-with-a-goal-ftc-prishtina-3-0 |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=5 August 2023}} He also scored twice in the next round against Žalgiris.{{cite web |title=GROUP STAGE FOR THIRD YEAR IN A ROW |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/group-stage-for-third-year-in-a-row |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} He made his league debut on 31 July 2021, scoring a penalty in a 2–1 defeat to Kisvárda.{{cite web |title=DEFEAT ON THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/defeat-on-the-first-game-of-the-season |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} Ferencváros progressed past Slavia Prague to make it to the Champions League play-off round but they were defeated 6–4 on aggregate by Young Boys, dropping down to the UEFA Europa League.{{cite web |title=EUROPA LEAGUE GROUP STAGE |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/europa-league-group-stage |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} They were unable to get out of the group containing Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic and Real Betis, finishing bottom after managing one victory.{{cite web |title=LAIDOUNI-GOAL AND WIN OVER LEVERKUSEN|url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/laidouni-goal-and-win-over-leverkusen |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} Mmaee ended the 2021–22 season with 19 goals from 37 matches as Ferencváros won the title with four games left.{{cite web |title=WE WON THE DERBY! WE HAVE THE THIRTY-THIRD! |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/we-won-the-derby-we-have-the-thirty-third |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} They won a double after beating Paks 3–0 in the Magyar Kupa final.{{cite web |title=MOL Hungarian Cup final: Boli brace secures Fradi victory |url=https://en.mlsz.hu/hir/mol-hungarian-cup-final-boli-brace-secures-fradi-victory |website=mlsz.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}} In 2022–23 Mmaee scored 12 goals in 31 appearances as Ferencváros again won the league title.{{cite web |title=FERENCVÁROS BECAME CHAMPIONS! |url=https://www.fradi.hu/en/football/men-s/news/ferencvaros-became-the-champion |website=Fradi.hu |access-date=10 August 2023}}

=Stoke City=

On 28 July 2023, Mmaee joined English EFL Championship side Stoke City for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract.{{cite web |title=Moroccan international Ryan Mmaee completes Potters move |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2023/july/28/moroccan-international-ryan-mmaee-completes-potters-move/ |website=Stoke City |date=28 July 2023 |access-date=28 July 2023}} He scored his first goal for Stoke on 29 August 2023 in a 6–1 win against Rotherham United in the EFL Cup.{{cite news |title=Stoke City 6–1 Rotherham United |work=BBC Sport |date=29 August 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66577630 |access-date=29 August 2023}} He scored his first Championship goal on 21 October 2023 in a 2–1 win against Sunderland.{{cite news |title=Stoke City 2–1 Sunderland |work=BBC Sport |date=21 October 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67108823 |access-date=8 February 2024}} In February 2024 he was made to train with the under-21 squad by head coach Steven Schumacher for disciplinary reasons.{{cite news |title=Ryan Mmaee: Stoke City striker sidelined for disciplinary reasons |work=BBC Sport |date=8 February 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68239556 |access-date=8 February 2024}} Mmaee returned to the first-team in March vowing to 'prove a point'.{{cite web |title=Chastened Ryan Mmaee returns to Stoke City squad with 'point to prove' |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-norwich-ryan-mmaee-9166154 |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=14 March 2024 |access-date=10 May 2024}} However his season was ended prematurely due to injury.{{cite web |title=Stoke City injury blow as striker ruled out for rest of season |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-injury-ryan-mmaee-9214718 |website=Stoke Sentinel |date=9 April 2024 |access-date=10 May 2024}} After struggling for game time at Stoke, Mmaee joined Austrian Bundesliga side Rapid Wien on loan for the 2024–25 season.{{cite web |title=Mmaee makes loan move |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/september/04/mmaee-makes-loan-move/ |website=Stoke City |date=4 September 2024 |access-date=4 September 2024}} His time at Rapid was disrupted by injuries and after failing to make an appearance he returned to Stoke in February 2025.{{cite web |title=Mmaee makes Potters return |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2025/february/03/mmaee-makes-potters-return/ |website=Stoke City |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=3 February 2025}}

International career

Mmaee is of Cameroonian and Moroccan descent, having a father from Cameroon and a mother from Morocco. As such, he was eligible to represent either Belgium, Cameroon or Morocco at senior level. He made his debut for the senior Morocco national team in a 2–0 win against Sudan.{{Cite web|url=http://mountakhab.net/www/modules/article_une/index.php?storyid=465530|title=Le Maroc et l'Albanie dos à dos|last=Bakkali|first=Achraf|website=Mountakhab.net|language=fr|access-date=14 May 2018}}

Personal life

Mmaee's brothers, Samy, Camil and Jack are also a professional footballers.{{Cite news|url=http://sportmagazine.levif.be/sport/foot-national/le-choix-des-mmaee/article-normal-495011.html|title=Le choix des Mmaee|date=29 April 2016|access-date=14 May 2018}} In May 2021 he was involved in a car accident in Limassol, Cyprus crashing into a car dealership and had to be extracted from his vehicle by emergency workers.{{cite web |title=Footballer crashes car into rental dealership |url=https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/footballer-crashes-car-into-rental-dealership |website=KNEWS |access-date=5 August 2023}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|match played 31 August 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Belgian Cup, Cypriot Cup, Danish Cup, FA Cup and Magyar Kupa}}

!colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}}

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="6"|Standard Liège

|2014–15

|Belgian Pro League

|1

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—10
2015–16

|Belgian Pro League

|5

020colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—70
2016–17

|Belgian First Division A

|7

121colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—92
2017–18

|Belgian First Division A

|0

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—00
2018–19

|Belgian First Division A

|0

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—00
colspan="2"|Total

!13

141colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—172
Waasland-Beveren (loan)

|2017–18

|Belgian First Division A

|18

120colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—201
AGF (loan)

|2018–19

|Danish Superliga

|9

033colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—123
rowspan="3"|AEL Limassol

|2019–20

|Cypriot First Division

|20

533colspan="2"|—1{{efn|Appearance in Cypriot Super Cup}}0248
2020–21

|Cypriot First Division

|30

1453colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3517
colspan="2"|Total

!50

1986colspan="2"|—||105925
rowspan="3"|Ferencváros

|2021–22

|Nemzeti Bajnokság I

|21

1321colspan="2"|—14{{efn|Eight appearances and four goals in UEFA Champions League and six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League}}53719
2022–23

|Nemzeti Bajnokság I

|24

1221colspan="2"|—10{{efn|One appearance in UEFA Champions League and nine appearances in UEFA Europa League}}03613
colspan="2"|Total

!45

2542colspan="2"|—||2457332
rowspan="3"|Stoke City

|2023–24

|EFL Championship

|24

31021colspan="2"|—274
2024–25

|EFL Championship

|3

00011colspan="2"|—41
colspan="2"|Total

!27

31032colspan="2"|—||315
Rapid Wien (loan)

|2024–25

|Austrian Bundesliga

|0

000colspan="2"|—0000
colspan="3"|Career total

!162

4922123225521268

{{notelist}}

=International=

{{updated|match played 27 June 2022}}{{NFT player|65000}}

class=wikitable style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team||Year||Apps||Goals
rowspan="4"|Morocco
201610
202164
202250
colspan="2"|Total124

class="wikitable"
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.rowspan=2| 12 November 2021rowspan=2| Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Moroccorowspan=2| {{fb|SUD}}align=center|1–0rowspan=2 align=center| 3–0rowspan=4| 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.align=center|2–0
3.rowspan=2| 16 November 2021rowspan=2| Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Moroccorowspan=2| {{fb|GUI}}align=center|1–0rowspan=2 align=center| 3–0
4.align=center|2–0

Honours

Ferencváros

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{RBFA player|PH_6586}}
  • {{Soccerway|ryan-mmaee/403829}}

{{Stoke City F.C. squad}}

{{Morocco squad 2021 Africa Cup of Nations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mmaee, Ryan}}

Category:1997 births

Category:Living people

Category:Moroccan men's footballers

Category:Belgian men's footballers

Category:Morocco men's international footballers

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Belgium men's youth international footballers

Category:Belgium men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Black Belgian sportspeople

Category:21st-century Belgian sportsmen

Category:Standard Liège players

Category:S.K. Beveren players

Category:Aarhus Gymnastikforening players

Category:AEL Limassol players

Category:Ferencvárosi TC footballers

Category:Stoke City F.C. players

Category:Belgian Pro League players

Category:Danish Superliga players

Category:Cypriot First Division players

Category:Moroccan expatriate men's footballers

Category:Belgian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark

Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus

Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus

Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Hungary

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Hungary

Category:Belgian people of Cameroonian descent

Category:Belgian sportspeople of Moroccan descent

Category:Moroccan people of Cameroonian descent

Category:Moroccan people of Belgian descent

Category:Sportspeople of Cameroonian descent

Category:2021 Africa Cup of Nations players

Category:Sportspeople from Geraardsbergen

Category:Footballers from East Flanders

Category:English Football League players

Category:21st-century Moroccan sportsmen

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England