The numbers
Bilal El Khannouss is having the kind of season that turns heads. Across all club competitions this season the 21-year-old has registered 9 goals and 9 assists in 44 appearances — a return that underlines his value both as a creator and a genuine goal threat from midfield.
In the Bundesliga he has chipped in with 4 goals and 5 assists in 25 appearances for Stuttgart, while his Europa League campaign has been particularly sharp: 5 goals in 11 appearances is a rate any forward would be happy with, let alone a central midfielder. Five appearances in the DFB Pokal added 2 more assists to the tally.
On the international stage
For Morocco this season El Khannouss has made 15 appearances across all competitions, contributing 1 goal. Six of those outings came in the Africa Cup of Nations, with a further four in AFCON qualification and five in friendlies. Wearing the number 23 shirt, the Belgium-born midfielder has established himself as a consistent presence in the national team setup.
Still only 21 — his birthday falls in May 2004 — El Khannouss has plenty of time to grow into an even bigger role. With a World Cup on home soil in North America approaching in 2026, this is a season that looks increasingly like a coming-of-age campaign for one of Morocco's most exciting midfield talents.