{{Short description|French footballer (born 2004)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Mohamed El Arouch | fullname = | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|04|06|df=y}} | birth_place = Orange, France | height = 1.66 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = IR Tanger | clubnumber = 10 | youthyears1 = 2010–2017 | youthclubs1 = SC Orange | youthyears2 = 2017–2022 | youthclubs2 = Lyon | years1 = 2021–2024 | clubs1 = Lyon B | caps1 = 34 | goals1 = 6 | years2 = 2022–2024 | clubs2 = Lyon | caps2 = 2 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2024 | clubs3 = Botafogo | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2025 | clubs4 = RWD Molenbeek | caps4 = 6 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2025– | clubs5 = IR Tangier | caps5 = 9 | goals5 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2019–2020 | nationalteam1 = France U16 | nationalcaps1 = 7 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2022 | nationalteam2 = France U18 | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2022 | nationalteam3 = France U19 | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalyears4 = 2023 | nationalteam4 = France U20 | nationalcaps4 = 2 | nationalgoals4 = 1 | medaltemplates = | club-update = 29 April 2026 | nationalteam-update = 11 September 2023 }}
'''Mohammed El Arouch''' (born 6 April 2004) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Botola Pro club IR Tangier.
==Early career== El Arouch was born in Orange in a family of Moroccan descent. El Arouch began his football career at the local club Sporting Club d'Orange in 2009.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Mohamed El Arouch, le gone d'adoption|url=https://www.olympique-et-lyonnais.com/ol-mohamed-el-arouch-le-gone-dadoption,209426.html|access-date=|website=|language=fr-FR}}</ref> Considered outclassed by the coaches of his team with a decent quality of passing and dribbling, the young player received the interest of many French clubs (PSG, OM, Monaco, Nice...) and even English (Manchester City...). but his choice fell on Lyon, whom he joined in 2018.<ref name=":1" />
In July 2021, he signed his first professional contract with the club, for three seasons, until 30 June 2024.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=MOHAMED EL AROUCH, "LE TRÈS GROS POTENTIEL" SUR LEQUEL MISE L'OL|url=https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/ligue-1/mohamed-el-arouch-le-tres-gros-potentiel-sur-lequel-mise-l-ol_AV-202112300339.html|access-date=|website=RMC Sport|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=22 July 2021|title=Premier contract professionelle pour Mohamed El Arouch|url=https://www.ol.fr/fr-fr/contenus/articles/2021/07/21/contrat-pro-el-arouch|website=Olympique Lyonnais|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=10 May 2022|title=Ligue 1 : Lyon prolonge sa pépite Mohamed El-Arouch|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/football/ligue-1/ligue-1-lyon-prolonge-sa-pepite-mohamed-el-arouch-20220510|website=Le Figaro|language=fr-FR}}</ref> He is regarded by the media as one of biggest talents ever produced by Olympique Lyon's Academy.<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{Cite web|date=7 May 2022|title=Coupe Gambardella : Pourquoi le " rusé " Mohamed El Arouch est perçu comme le nouveau phénomène de l'académie de l'OL|url=https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/football/3283263-20220507-coupe-gambardella-pourquoi-ruse-mohamed-el-arouch-percu-comme-nouveau-phenomene-academie-ol|website=20 minutes (France)|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
During the 2021–22 season, El Arouch played a crucial role on Lyon's Coupe Gambardella's successful campaign, leading the team winning the competition for the first time since 1997. He scored twice in course of the competition, notably the opening goal in the final at the Stade de France, where Lyon defeated Caen 5–4 in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw in regular time.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |author=Edward Jay |title=Gambardella: El Arouch, Sarr, Patouillet... Les dernières pépites de l'OL, qui disputent la finale contre Caen |url=https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/gambardella-el-arouch-fuhrer-patouillet-les-dernieres-pepites-de-l-ol-qui-disputent-la-finale-contre-caen_AV-202205070092.html |website=RMC Sport|date=7 May 2022|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Aurélien Macedo |title=Revivez en live commenté la finale de la Coupe Gambardella entre l'OL et Caen !|url=https://www.footmercato.net/a502706540574200877-suivez-la-rencontre-olympique-lyonnais-u19-caen-u19-en-direct-commente|website=Foot Mercato |date=7 May 2022|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
==Club career== On 25 February 2023, El Arouch made his professional debut with Lyon, getting subbed on in a Ligue 1 win against Angers, replacing Thiago Mendes in the 89th minute.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 February 2023|title=Ligue 1 - Angers SCO - OL : les premiers mots de Mohamed El Arouch après ses débuts en L1|url=https://madeingones.ouest-france.fr/infos/article-ligue-1-angers-sco-ol-mohamed-el-arouch-savoure-apres-ses-premieres-minutes-en-l1-406197.html|website=Made In Gones & Ouest-France|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
On 21 August 2024, El Arouch moved to Brazil, signing for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Botafogo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ol.fr/fr/actualites/depart-de-mohamed-el-arouch-a-botafogo?fbclid=IwY2xjawEy71pleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYzKy7tqBbPAN5LaUXauZuA1MFi1bte3TEpz-aiNOl-WN7hS0CkT38j3sA_aem_ceWzshN5te0jf79h6Rr1jQ|title=Départ de Mohamed El Arouch à Botafogo|date=21 August 2024|publisher=Olympique Lyonnais|language=fr}}</ref> However, he left a month later without having played a single game for the team for "personal reasons".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=Former Lyon midfielder Mohamed El Arouch leaves Botafogo for 'personal reasons'|publisher= Get French Football News |url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2024/former-lyon-midfielder-mohamed-el-arouch-leaves-botafogo-for-personal-reasons/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |language=en-US}}</ref>
On 3 February 2025, El Arouch joined Belgian side RWD Molenbeek, signing a two-year contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohamed El Arouch à Molenbeek pour deux saisons et demie|publisher=RWDM |url=https://www.rwdm.be/fr/mohamed-el-arouch-a-molenbeek-pour-deux-saisons-et-demie/ |date=3 February 2025 |language=fr}}</ref> On 12 December 2025, he left the club by mutual consent.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=rwdm_brussels|title=Le RWDM Brussels et Mohamed El Arouch se sont séparés d’un commun accord. Nous lui souhaitons le meilleur pour la suite de sa carrière.|date=12 December 2025|accessdate=15 December 2025|number=1999434051657027999|language=French}}</ref> A day later, he joined Botola Pro side IR Tangier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foot-maroc.com/littihad-de-tanger-se-renforce-avec-larrivee-de-mohamed-el-arouch/|title=L’Ittihad de Tanger se renforce avec l’arrivée de Mohamed El Arouch|date=13 December 2025|publisher=Foot Maroc}}</ref>
==International career== El Arouch chose to represent France instead of Morocco at youth level. He was capped 7 times France under-16, scoring once against Italy under-16 in a friendly match. He then represented France's under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides.<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 September 2021|title=Football. L'académie OL en force en équipe de France espoirs|url=https://www.leprogres.fr/sport/2021/09/30/l-academie-ol-en-force-en-equipe-de-france-espoir|access-date=26 November 2021|website=Le Progrès|language=FR-fr}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{Updated|match played 29 April 2026}}
{| 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"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="5"|Lyon B |2020–21 |National 2 |2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |2021–22 |National 2 |9||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||9||2 |- |2022–23 |National 2 |17||3|| colspan="2" |—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||3 |- |2023–24 |National 3 |6||1|| colspan="2" |—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||6||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !34!!6!! colspan="2" |—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!34!!6 |- |rowspan="3"|Lyon |2022–23 |Ligue 1 |1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |2023–24 |Ligue 1 |1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !2!!0!!1!!0!! colspan="2" |—!!colspan="2"|—!!3!!0 |- |Botafogo |2024 |Campeonato Brasileiro |0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |RWD Molenbeek |2024–25 |Challenger Pro League |4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|Appearances in the Belgian Pro League promotion play-offs}}||0||6||0 |- |IR Tanger |2025–26 |Botola Pro |9||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||9||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !49!!6!!1!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!52!!6 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Lyon Youth''' *Coupe Gambardella: 2021–22
'''Botafogo''' *Campeonato Brasileiro: 2024
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerway|mohamed-el-arouch/652094}} * {{FFF|6869-el-arouch-mohamed}} *{{worldfootball.net|new_id=pe645277}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:El Arouch, Mohamed}} Category:Living people Category:2004 births Category:People from Orange, Vaucluse Category:French men's footballers Category:France men's youth international footballers Category:French sportspeople of Moroccan descent Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Olympique Lyonnais players Category:Botafogo FR players Category:RWDM Brussels players Category:IR Tangier players Category:Ligue 1 players Category:Championnat National 2 players Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players Category:Challenger Pro League players Category:French expatriate men's footballers Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Brazil Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Brazil Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Morocco Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Morocco Category:21st-century French sportsmen