Abdellah Ouazane keeps his feet on the ground after his first call-up with Morocco

At just 17 years old, Abdellah Ouazane has taken an important step with his first call-up to the Moroccan national team. However, as his career quickly gains momentum with Ajax, the young Moroccan attacking midfielder aims to maintain as normal a daily life as possible. In an interview with NOS, he shared his thoughts on his studies, ambitions, and his relationship with a growing fame.

Alongside his professional football career, Ouazane is pursuing an MBO training program and dedicates his Wednesdays to coaching a youth women’s team at WV-HEDW in Amsterdam. He still travels there by public transport. “I’m only 17,” he simply reminds when discussing his inability to drive alone. Some commuters now seem surprised to encounter an Ajax player on the subway, a situation that amuses him: for him, there is nothing exceptional about it yet.

His schedule, however, already resembles that of a professional player. After playing 23 minutes in Ajax’s victory against Willem II (5-1), Ouazane recounts returning late before juggling sleep, training with the first team, a weightlifting session, and his study-related activities. His situation even surprised Julian Brandt when the German international asked him why he was in such a hurry. Ouazane simply replied that he had to go to school. “Oh yes, you still go to school,” his teammate responded.

The young Moroccan is particularly keen not to neglect his education despite his rise. He believes that a player should already think about what they can do after their career and would like to become a coach to pass on his experience to younger players. For Ouazane, the most important thing is to “stay connected to the normal things in life,” even as the demands increase. This philosophy extends to his interactions with fans, as he willingly takes the time to sign autographs and pose for photos.

This attention towards the youth reminds him of his own childhood and his idols at Ajax. “I also wanted Hakim Ziyech’s autograph,” Ouazane confides, revealing that he still keeps Amin Younes’ autograph to this day. It serves as a reminder not to forget that he was recently on the other side of the barrier.

On the sporting front, the young Lion of the Atlas does not hide his ambitions. After regularly joining Ajax’s first team, he now hopes to gain significant playing time this season. This progress has also opened the doors to the Moroccan national team: Mohamed Ouahbi has called him up for the first time with the Lions of the Atlas for upcoming matches against Gabon, Lesotho, and Ghana. A new step for a player who, despite a particularly rapid rise, seems determined to move forward without rushing things.