Diyaeddine Abzi
Diyaeddine Abzi (born 23 November 1998) is a professional soccer player who plays for La Liga 2 club Leganés, on loan from Ligue 2 club Pau FC as a left-back. Born in Morocco, he represented Canada at youth international level.
| Abzi in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diyaeddine Abzi | ||
| Date of birth | 23 November 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Fez, Morocco | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leganés (on loan from Pau) | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Salaberry | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Salaberry | 19 | (10) |
| 2018 | Blainville | 20 | (2) |
| 2019–2022 | York United | 64 | (7) |
| 2022– | Pau FC | 29 | (1) |
| 2023– | → Leganés (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Canada Futsal | 1 | (1) |
| 2021 | Canada U23 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 April 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 March 2021 | |||
Early life edit
Born in Fez, Morocco, Abzi moved to Montreal at age nine, where he began playing youth soccer with FS Salaberry.[1]
Club career edit
Salaberry edit
In 2015, Abzi played for FS Salaberry at the U21 level, scoring one goal in three appearances.[2] The following year, he made his senior debut with Salaberry in LSEQ Division 2 and made a total of six appearances that season as Salaberry earned promotion to D1.[3] At the U21 level for Salaberry that year, he scored fourteen goals in thirteen appearances. In 2017, Abzi scored ten goals in thirteen appearances for Salaberry in D1, leading the club and finishing third in league scoring.[4] In U21 play, Abzi scored 26 goals in 15 appearances.
Blainville edit
In 2018, Abzi played for defending PLSQ champions Blainville, making twenty appearances and scoring two goals in league play.[5] In the Canadian Championship, Abzi scored the lone goal in Blainville's 1–0 win over Oakville Blue Devils in the second leg of the First Preliminary Round.[6] He then appeared as a substitute in both games of Blainville's Second Preliminary Round series against Ottawa Fury.[7]
York United edit
On 22 February 2019, Abzi signed with Canadian Premier League side York9 (later York United).[6] On 27 April 2019, he made his professional debut as a substitute in the inaugural CPL match against Forge FC.[7] Abzi scored his first goal for the club on 12 October 2019, against Forge.[8] That season, he made a total of 24 league appearances and six in the Canadian Championship.[7]
On 4 December 2019, Abzi re-signed with York for the 2020 season.[9] On 29 April 2020, he signed a further contract extension until at least 2022.[10] In 2021, he continued to play a crucial role for York, and was described as "one of the most dynamic and talented" players in the league.[11] York finished in fourth place in the regular season, which qualified them to the semifinals, where they were defeated by Forge FC. Scoring 6 goals and 3 assists that season as a fullback, at the conclusion of the season he was ranked the 4th best player in the league.[12] There was interest from Major League Soccer club Toronto FC to bring him in for a trial, however, an injury prevented Abzi from attending.[13] At the time of his departure in the summer of 2022, he was York's all-time appearance leader.[14]
Pau edit
On 15 June 2022, York United announced the transfer of Abzi to French club Pau FC of Ligue 2, effective 1 July, where he signed a three-year contract.[15][16] He made his debut for Pau on July 30 in their season opener, starting the match and playing the full 90 minutes in a 4-0 defeat to Guingamp.[17] Abzi scored his first goal for Pau against Paris FC on January 31, 2023.[18]
Loan to Leganés edit
In August 2023, it was announced that Abzi would be loaned out to La Liga 2 club Leganés for the 2023-24 season, with an option for a permanent transfer.[19]
International career edit
Canada Futsal edit
In January 2018, Abzi played futsal for Canada in a friendly against Costa Rica, netting a goal in a 5-4 defeat.[20]
Canada edit
Abzi was called up to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020 and made one appearance for the side against Mexico.[21] On February 26, 2024, Abzi was named to the Canada men's national soccer team provisional roster for the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs against Trinidad and Tobago.[22]
Career statistics edit
- As of 18 February 2024[7]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other[c] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Salaberry | 2015[23] | LSEQ D2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2016[23] | LSEQ D2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2017[23] | LSEQ D1 | 13 | 10 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 15 | 13 | |||
| Total | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 13 | ||
| Blainville | 2018[23] | PLSQ | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 3 | |
| York United | 2019 | Canadian Premier League | 24 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 1 | ||
| 2020 | Canadian Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | Canadian Premier League | 25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 28 | 6 | ||
| 2022 | Canadian Premier League | 10 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Total | 64 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 8 | ||
| Pau FC | 2022–23 | Ligue 2 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| Leganés | 2023–24 | La Liga 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | 135 | 20 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 158 | 26 | ||
- ^ Includes appearances in the Canadian Championship.
- ^ Includes appearances in the PLSQ Cup.
- ^ Includes appearances in the Coupe du Québec and Canadian Premier League playoffs.
References edit
- ^ Diyaeddine Abzi at the Canadian Soccer Association
- ^ "Diyaeddine Abzi 2015". TSI Sports. Retrieved 3 July 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Diyaeddine Abzi 2016". TSI Sports. Retrieved 3 July 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Diyaeddine Abzi 2017". TSI Sports. Retrieved 3 July 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Diyaeddine Abzi 2018". TSI Sports. Retrieved 3 July 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "York9 FC adds left fullback Diyaeddine Abzi". Canadian Premier League. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Diyaeddine Abzi". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ Wall, Jeff (October 13, 2019). . Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
- ^ Armen Bedakian (4 December 2019). "York9 FC re-sign top fullback pairing Abzi, Doner for 2020". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Diyaeddine Abzi Signs Contract Extension With York9 FC". York9 FC. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "York United fullback Diyaeddine Abzi transferred to French Ligue 2 side Pau FC". Canadian Premier League. 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ "CPL50 - 4. Diyaeddine Abzi (York United)". Canadian Premier League. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ Jacques, John (August 19, 2022). "'I Made A Big Leap In Level': Abzi Reflects On Pau Transfer". Northern Tribune.
- ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (June 22, 2022). "'I enjoyed all these moments': Abzi leaves untouchable legacy at York United ahead of Pau FC move". Canadian Premier League.
- ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (June 15, 2022). "York United fullback Diyaeddine Abzi transferred to French Ligue 2 side Pau FC".
- ^ @PauFootballClub (June 15, 2022). "@Abzi__20 est 🟡🔵 ! Aprés s'être imposé comme l'un des meilleurs latéraux de CPL depuis plusieurs saisons, l'international espoirs canadien vient renforcer la défense du Pau FC pour les trois prochaines saisons. Bienvenue Diyaeddine ! 👑" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Gegat, Antoine (July 30, 2022). "Ligue 2. Guingamp étrille Pau en ouverture du championnat". Ouest France.
- ^ Pau FC [@PauFootballClub] (January 31, 2023). "Elle est enfin là Grâce à la première réalisation de @Abzi__20, les Palois retrouvent le chemin de la victoire" (Tweet). Retrieved February 1, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "El C.D. Leganés refuerza su banda izquierda con Diyaeddine Abzi" [C.D. Leganés reinforces the left side with Diyaeddine Abzi]. CD Leganés (in Spanish). August 14, 2023.
- ^ "Canada earns valuable experience in two-match Futsal series against Costa Rica". January 18, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ . Canada Soccer. 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Concacaf Nations League Play-In preliminary rosters announced". Concacaf.com. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "LESQ/PLSQ Stats Archive" (in French). TSI Sports. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
External links edit
- Diyaeddine Abzi at the Canadian Soccer Association
- Diyaeddine Abzi at Soccerway