attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss has now signed a long-term deal with the Cannstatt club after his loan was converted into a permanent signing, as per the terms of the original agreement. In his first year in Stuttgart, El Khannouss made 41 appearances across all competitions, scoring nine goals and setting up another seven. His performances earned him a spot at the forthcoming World Cup 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA with the Morocco national team, who get their group stage under way on 14 June (CEST) against Brazil.
Fabian Wohlgemuth, VfB’s board member for sport: “In the season just ended, Bilal excelled across all competitions in a VfB shirt and has established himself at a young age as one of the lynchpins of the Moroccan national team. Bilal already has exceptional footballing skills, but at the same time, we see further scope for development. As such, we’re convinced that he’s not yet reached his full potential.”
From Belgium to Stuttgart via England
El Khannouss was born on 10 May 2004 in Strombeek-Bever, in Belgium. He took his first steps in kids’ football with RSC Anderlecht, making his way up through the Belgian giants’ various youth teams. At the age of 15, he joined the academy at KRC Genk before making his first-team debut on 24 July 2022 at the age of 18 years and two months. He went on to make another 60 league appearances for the four-time Belgian champions, scoring four and assisting another 14. In summer 2024, he moved to English side Leicester and played 32 Premier League games for the Foxes, scoring two and setting up another three.
The 1.80-metre attacker represented both Morocco and Belgium as a youth player but has gone on to win 35 senior caps for Morocco, registering three goals and two assists. He lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2026 and was part of the side that triumphed in the U23 edition of the tournament in 2023. El Khannouss also managed to get his hands on a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
