Aziz Ouattara Mohammed Explained

Aziz Ouattara Mohammed
Full Name:Aziz Ouattara Mohammed
Birth Date:4 January 2001
Birth Place:Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Height:1.89 m
Position:Centre-back, central midfielder
Currentclub:KV Mechelen
Clubnumber:32
Youthyears1:2017–2019
Youthclubs1:ASEC Mimosas
Youthyears2:2019
Youthclubs2:Hammarby IF (loan)
Youthyears3:2019–2020
Youthclubs3:Hammarby IF
Years1:2020–2022
Caps1:24
Goals1:2
Years2:2020
Clubs2:IK Frej (loan)
Caps2:26
Goals2:2
Years3:2022–
Clubs3:Genk
Caps3:40
Goals3:2
Years4:2022–2023
Clubs4:Jong Genk
Caps4:9
Goals4:0
Years5:2024–
Clubs5:KV Mechelen (loan)
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Pcupdate:26 May 2024

Aziz Ouattara Mohammed (born 4 January 2001) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or central midfielder for Belgian Pro League club KV Mechelen on loan from Genk.

Early life

Ouattara was born in the Ivorian capital Abidjan. At age three, Ouattara moved to his grandmother in the neighboring country Ghana, where he mostly grew up. At age 15, he moved back to Abidjan and started to play football in the youth academy of local club ASEC Mimosas.[1] [2] [3]

Club career

Hammarby IF

On 23 May 2019, Ouattara joined Swedish side Hammarby IF on loan, alongside ASEC teammate Bayéré Junior Loué, after a successful trial.[4] Their chief scout Mikael Hjelmberg compared his playing style to that of compatriot Odilon Kossounou, who just had been sold for a club record fee to Club Brugge.[5] Both Ouattara and Loué completed a permanent transfer to Hammarby IF on 30 December 2019, signing four-year deals with the club.[6] In 2020, Ouattara went on loan to Hammarby's affiliated club IK Frej in Ettan, Sweden's third tier. He played 26 league games, and scored twice, as the side finished 9th in the table.[7]

On 1 April 2021, Ouattara made his competitive debut for Hammarby IF against Trelleborgs FF in the quarter-final of the Svenska Cupen, the main domestic cup. His side won 3–2 after extra time, with Ouattara coming on as a half-time substitute.[8] Three days later, Ouattara started and scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against rivals Djurgårdens IF in the semi-final.[9] On 30 May 2021, Ouattara won the 2020–21 Svenska Cupen with Hammarby IF, through a 5–4 win on penalties (0–0 after full-time) against BK Häcken in the final.[10] [11] He featured in four games as the side reached the play-off round of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League, after eliminating Maribor (4–1 on aggregate) and FK Čukarički (6–4 on aggregate), where the club was knocked out by Basel (4–4 on aggregate) after a penalty shoot-out, although Ouattara scored in the second leg at home.[12] [13] [14] [15] Following his performances in 2021, Ouattara reportedly attracted interest from other clubs, such as Rennes[16] and Bordeaux in the French Ligue 1, as well as from Al Ain in the UAE Pro League.[17]

Genk

On 7 January 2022, Ouattara completed a transfer to Belgian Pro League club Genk, signing a contract until the summer of 2026.[18] [19] The transfer fee was reportedly set at around 30 million SEK (2.9 million at that time).[20] In July 2024, Ouattara signed a one-season loan with fellow Pro League club KV Mechelen.

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
IK Frej (loan)2020Ettan26200262
Hammarby IF2021Allsvenskan2424141324
Career total5044141586

Honours

Hammarby IF

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Från Elfenbenskusten till södra Stockholm. Svenskafans. 13 April 2020. 21 February 2021. Swedish.
  2. Web site: "Chelsea är målet, men Belgien först". Supportrarnas Matchprogram. 7 January 2022. 9 January 2022. Swedish.
  3. Web site: Från Vikingavallen till världen – Aziz vindlade fotbollsresa. Fotboll STHLM. 7 January 2022. 9 January 2022. Swedish.
  4. Web site: Efter provspelet – Hammarby tecknar låneavtal med ivoriansk duo. Hammarby Fotboll. 23 May 2019. 21 February 2021. Swedish.
  5. Web site: Ny ivorian testar i Bajen: "Fan, har Odilon en tvillingsbrorsa?". Fotboll STHLM. 10 May 2019. 21 February 2021. Swedish.
  6. Web site: Hammarby skriver avtal med Aziz, Loue och Leon Hien. Hammarby Fotboll. 30 December 2019. 21 February 2021. Swedish.
  7. Web site: Spelarfakta: Ouattara Mohammed Aziz. Swedish Football Association. 1 April 2021. Swedish.
  8. Web site: Kämpainsatsen gav cupavancemang. Hammarby Fotboll. 2 April 2021. 4 April 2021. Swedish.
  9. Web site: Bragdderby säkrade platsen i titelmatchen. Hammarby Fotboll. 4 April 2021. 4 April 2021. Swedish.
  10. Web site: Hammarby cupvinnare efter straffdrama. Swedish Football Association. 30 May 2021. 30 May 2021. sv.
  11. Web site: Historisk och dramatisk cupfinalseger mot Häcken. Hammarby Fotboll. 30 May 2021. 30 May 2021. sv.
  12. Web site: Maribor 0 – 1 Hammarby. 30 August 2021. UEFA. English.
  13. Web site: Hammarby 5 – 1 Čukarički. 30 August 2021. UEFA. English.
  14. Web site: Hammarby 3 – 1 Basel. 30 August 2021. UEFA. English.
  15. Web site: Ett slut att glömma efter 210 minnesvärda minuter. 26 August 2021. 30 August 2021. Hammarby Fotboll. Swedish.
  16. Web site: AVSLÖJAR: Storklubbar jagar Ouattara – Bajen vill ha minst 20 miljoner. 1 November 2021. 13 December 2021. Aftonbladet. Swedish.
  17. Web site: Avslöjar: Ouattara nära Al Ain för 30 miljoner kronor. 14 December 2021. 14 December 2021. Aftonbladet. Swedish.
  18. Web site: Aziz klar för Genk. Hammarby Fotboll. 7 January 2022. 7 January 2022. Swedish.
  19. Web site: Welkom Aziz Ouattara. K.R.C. Genk. 7 January 2022. 7 January 2022. Dutch.
  20. Web site: Säljer succéspelaren för 30 miljoner kronor. 3 January 2022. 7 January 2021. Expressen. Swedish.