38-year-old Morocco forward Youssef El-Arabi scores first Ligue 1 goal in over a decade

Morocco international Youssef El-Arabi announced his return to the French Ligue 1, scoring to salvage FC Nantes from defeat.

The 38-year-old forward made substitute appearances as his outfit played out a 2-2 draw with Stade Rennais in the week five of the French Ligue 1.

Youssef El-Arabi was introduced in the 82^nd-minute make and made an impact, scoring deep into stoppage time to secure an all-important home draw against Rennais.

The Morocco international returns to the French top-flight after over a dozen years away, making a solid early impression.

Before switching to Nantes this summer, El-Arabi hadn’t played in Ligue 1 since the 2010-11 season with his hometown club SM Caen. He played all 38 matches in the competition over that campaign, before moving to Saudi Arabia.

His last goal in this competition was 14 years and 142 days for Caen, making the longest gap between two goals in Ligue 1 since 1947-48.

The Morocco star surpassed Patrice Evra, who scored 14 years and 46 days after his previous goal in this competition.

El-Arabi enjoyed considerable success overseas, claiming three Greek Super League titles at Olympiacos and lifting the UEFA Conference League trophy in the 2023-24 season. He also won two Qatar Stars League titles during his time at Al Duhail, finishing as the top goalscorer on two occasions. During his previous stint in France, he was on the Caen side that won the Ligue 2 crown in 2009-10.

He returned to France in July, with the Moroccan international signing a one-year deal for La Maison Jaune with an option for an additional year. He featured in Cyprus the previous season, capturing the Cypriot Super Cup with APOEL in 2024.

During his time in Greece, he bagged five hat-tricks, the most in the club’s history.