Mountakhab 2026: Soufiane Rahimi, the son of Raja

Soufiane Rahimi’s dream did not begin with him; he inherited it from his father, Mohamed Rahimi, known in Raja circles by the nickname «Youari». In the early 1960s, his father joined Raja Club Athletic’s youth academy as a goalkeeper and was considered one of the club’s most promising talents. But a road accident cut short his footballing ambitions, forcing him to abandon hopes of reaching the first team.

Although his playing career ended before it truly began, «Youari» never left the club he loved. Raja found a place for him within its ranks, and over the years he became one of the figures most closely associated with the club, serving as its kit and equipment manager.

It was in this deeply Rajaoui environment that Soufiane Rahimi, born on June 2, 1996, was raised. He spent much of his childhood around the Oasis training complex, watching the first team train and interacting with some of the club’s biggest stars. Surrounded by Raja’s colors, trophies and traditions, he gradually began to dream of following in their footsteps.

Yet Rahimi’s path to the top was far from straightforward. Early in his career, he suffered a serious knee injury and later found himself sidelined within the youth ranks. The biggest setback came when Raja released him just as he seemed on the verge of breaking into the first team. For a young man who had grown up inside the club, it was a devastating blow.

But with the support of his family, particularly his uncle, Rahimi rebuilt his confidence. He joined amateur side Najm Chabab Casablanca, where his career took an unexpected turn. His talent flourished, his goals began to attract attention, and before long Raja came calling once again.

The club offered him a second chance and his first professional contract. Rahimi seized it. Within months, he had established himself in the first team, and during Raja’s victorious 2018 CAF Confederation Cup campaign, he emerged as one of the club’s standout players. In the final against DR Congo’s Vita Club, he scored twice on a memorable night that ended with tears of joy.

A trophy-laden career

Rahimi’s rise eventually earned him his first call-up to Morocco’s senior national team in May 2021 under former coach Vahid Halilhodžić. By then, he had already begun building an impressive collection of trophies and individual accolades.

With Morocco, he won the 2020 African Nations Championship before helping the Olympic team secure a historic bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Games. At club level, he played a key role in Raja’s Botola triumph in 2020 and helped the Casablanca side win two CAF Confederation Cup titles, in 2018 and 2021, as well as the CAF Super Cup in 2019 and the Mohammed VI Club Champions Cup in 2020.

His success continued after his move to the United Arab Emirates. With Al Ain, Rahimi won the UAE Pro League and League Cup in 2022 before leading the club to the AFC Champions League title in 2024. He later added another league title and the UAE President’s Cup during the 2025-26 season.

Individual honors followed as well. Rahimi finished as top scorer at the Paris 2024 Olympics with eight goals, was named both best player and top scorer of the 2020 African Nations Championship, won the Moroccan league’s best player award in 2020 and 2021, was voted the UAE league’s best player by fans in 2022 and 2023, and was crowned the best player of the 2024 AFC Champions League.