Neil El Aynaoui
 El Aynaoui with Lens in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Neil Yoni El Aynaoui | ||
| Date of birth | 2 July 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Nancy, France | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lens | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2020 | Nancy | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Nancy B | 10 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Nancy | 67 | (6) |
| 2023– | Lens B | 1 | (2) |
| 2023– | Lens | 43 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Morocco U23 | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:33, 6 April 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:15, 25 November 2023 (UTC) | |||
Neil Yoni El Aynaoui (Arabic: نائل العيناوي; born 2 July 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Lens. Born in France, he is a youth international for Morocco. El Aynaoui can also play as a defensive midfielder.
Club career
[edit]El Aynaoui joined the youth academy of Nancy when he was 8, and signed his first professional contract with the club on 3 June 2021.[1] He made his professional debut with Nancy in a 4–0 Ligue 2 loss to Toulouse on 31 July 2021.[2]
On 29 June 2023, El Aynaoui signed for Ligue 1 club Lens on a four-year contract.[3] He scored his first goal on 28 October 2023 against FC Nantes.[4]
International career
[edit]Born in France, El Aynaoui holds French and Moroccan nationalities.[5] He was called up to the Morocco U23s for a set of friendlies in September 2023.[6]
Personal life
[edit]El Aynaoui is the son of the retired Moroccan tennis player Younes El Aynaoui.[7]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 6 April 2025
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Nancy B | 2020–21 | National 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | National 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | CFA | 33 | 4 | — | — | 33 | 4 | |||
| Total | 42 | 4 | — | — | 42 | 4 | ||||
| Nancy | 2021–22 | Ligue 2 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 2 | |
| Lens B | 2023–24 | National 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 | ||
| Lens | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | |
| Total | 43 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 110 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 117 | 13 | ||
- ^ Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
References
[edit]- ^ "Neil El Aynaoui signs his first professional contract with AS Nancy". 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Nancy vs. Toulouse - 31 July 2021". Soccerway.
- ^ "Mercato : Neil El Aynaoui (Nancy) rejoint Lens". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Neil El Aynaoui : "C'est incroyable de marquer pour Lens"". OneFootball. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Neil EL AYNAOUI -".
- ^ "Neil el Aynaoui est devenu officiellement international marocain U23". 8 September 2023.
- ^ "Neil El Aynaoui signs three years with AS Nancy". Bergaag. 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
External links
[edit]- Neil El Aynaoui at Soccerway