Morocco goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch poised for long-term move to Stade de Reims

Morocco Under-17 goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch is set to continue his development in France after agreeing a long-term contract with Stade de Reims.

The 18-year-old, who was born in 2008 and developed at the renowned Mohammed VI Football Academy, has reportedly completed his medical and is expected to wear the number 40 shirt at the Ligue 2 club.

Bellaarouch will initially join Reims Revelations, the programme designed to help promising young players make the transition towards professional football.

The goalkeeper first attracted widespread attention during the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 tournament, where he impressed under coach Nabil Baha and was named the competition’s best goalkeeper.

He has continued to build his reputation at international youth level and recently produced another outstanding performance for the Mohammed VI Football Academy at an Under-19 international tournament.

Bellaarouch was decisive in the semi-final against Leeds United, saving three penalties in the shoot-out. He then played a key role in the final against Hajduk Split, helping his side win the tournament and collecting another best goalkeeper award.

The move to Stade de Reims will give Bellaarouch the opportunity to continue his progress within a club known for its work with young players, despite the team now competing in Ligue 2.

Reims has developed a number of notable players in recent years, including France international Hugo Ekitike, who is of Cameroonian descent, Congolese forward Nathanael Mbuku and Senegalese attacker Mamadou Diakhon.

The club’s post-training programme has also helped players such as El Bilal Toure, Ilan Kebbal and Kamory Doumbia progress towards the professional game.

The structure previously known as “Groupe Pro 2” was renamed Reims Revelations in 2026. The revised programme is intended to provide a quicker route for young players into professional football.

That environment is expected to offer Bellaarouch an attractive platform as he seeks to turn his early promise into a professional career.

Born in Casablanca, the goalkeeper has been praised for the accuracy of his distribution, his strong mentality and his ability to save penalties. Those qualities have led to comparisons with Morocco’s senior international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Bellaarouch is also the younger brother of Alaa Bellaarouch, 24, who plays in the same position. Alaa was loaned to Dinamo Bucuresti this season by Strasbourg, giving the family another link with the professional game in Europe.

Chouaib Bellaarouch’s move means another highly rated Moroccan youth player is preparing to leave the country at an early stage of his development, with Stade de Reims now set to become the next step in his career.