Moroccan international footballer Bilal El Khannouss, who plays in the Belgian Pro football league, won the Belgian Lion Award on Monday, an award presented annually in Belgium to the best Maghrebi player in the Belgian Pro League.
The offense midfielder from Racing Genk (who succeeds his compatriot Tarik Tissoudali, the two-time title holder in 2021 and 2022) outperformed fellow Moroccan, Ismael Kandouss, a defender for Gent.
A mainstay in the Genk midfield since last season, 19-year-old El Khannouss played in the 2022 World Cup for Morocco and is expected to participate in the upcoming African Cup of Nations in January.
Moroccan international player Sakina Ouzraoui, a forward for RSC Anderlecht, won the Belgian Lioness Award for 2023. She plays for the Moroccan women’s national team, which reached round 16 for the first time in its history at the 2023 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.