Sofiane Boufal (; born 17 September 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Ligue 1 club Le Havre. Born in France, he plays for the Morocco national team.
Boufal was born in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, to Moroccan parents. He acquired French nationality on 31 January 2006, through the collective effect of his parents' naturalization. He grew up in Angers.
Boufal came through the Angers youth system, making his debut for the club at the age of 18, replacing Rayan Frikeche in the closing stages of a 1âÂÂ0 home loss to Istres in August 2012. He made his first ever professional start the next Ligue 2 season, in a 4âÂÂ2 win away at Istres, becoming a regular that season, making 31 appearances in all competitions. In the 2014âÂÂ15 season, he helped Angers win promotion to Ligue 1. He racked up a total of 4 goals in 16 appearances in the first half of the season, before attracting interest from Ligue 1 clubs.
On 9 January 2015, Boufal transferred to Lille in Ligue 1, instantly making an impression, scoring 3 goals in 14 league games. The next season, he continued to impress, scoring 12 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions and attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs around the world.
On 29 August 2016, Southampton announced they had signed Boufal on a five-year contract for a club-record undisclosed fee. The fee was reported as ã16 million, slightly more than the ã15 million paid to Roma for Dani Osvaldo in October 2013.
In the 2016âÂÂ17 season, Boufal scored only one League Cup goal and one Premier League goal; his strike in Saints' 26 October 2016 1âÂÂ0 win over Sunderland in the fourth round of the League Cup won Southampton's Goal of the Season award.
On 21 October 2017, Boufal scored a virtuoso 85th-minute goal in a home tie against West Bromwich Albion to lead his team to a 1âÂÂ0 victory and send them into the top half of the Premier League. Having come on as a substitute in the 80th minute, he gained possession deep within his own half and took the ball past six opposing players before sending it past keeper Ben Foster from just inside the box. This goal was voted the 2017âÂÂ18 Premier League Goal of the Season.
In July 2018, Boufal joined La Liga side Celta Vigo on loan for the 2018âÂÂ19 campaign.
After returning to Southampton for the 2019âÂÂ20 season, he played in 10 of his team's 13 league games before injuring his toe at his home, when he ran into a kitchen table.
On 5 October 2020, Boufal returned to his first club Angers on a free transfer.
On 31 January 2023, Boufal joined Qatari club Al-Rayyan SC on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Boufal made his debut against Al-Gharafa SC and scored his first goal for the club against Al-Duhail SC.
On 3 September 2024, Boufal joined Belgian club Union SG.
On 14 January 2026, Boufal signed with Ligue 1 side Le Havre.
Boufal made his debut for the Morocco national team on 26 March 2016 starting in a 1âÂÂ0 African Cup of Nations qualification victory against Cape Verde.
Boufal withdrew from Morocco's squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations due to injury. He was also unexpectedly omitted from the final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup by coach Hervé Renard.
Boufal represented Morocco at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He was one of two Moroccan players to fail to score in their 4âÂÂ1 penalty shootout defeat to Benin in the Round of 16. He scored his first international goal in a 4âÂÂ1 win over Guineau in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.
On 10 November 2022, he was named in Morocco's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He and his teammates made history and became the first African nation ever to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
Lille
Southampton
Union SG
Individual
Orders