Azzedine Ounahi was born on 19 April 2000 in Casablanca, Morocco. He passed through the Mohammed VI Football Academy, the same national development hub that has shaped several members of Morocco's modern generation, before moving to France. His path through Strasbourg's reserve structure and Avranches gave him a lower-profile but technically rich foundation before he reached Ligue 1 with Angers.
At Angers, Ounahi's light frame and elegant ball-carrying stood out immediately. The 2022 World Cup changed his career. In Qatar he became one of the revelations of the tournament as Morocco beat Belgium, Spain and Portugal, with Luis Enrique publicly praising his performance after Spain's elimination. That attention led to a move to Marseille in January 2023.
His Marseille spell brought pressure and fluctuation, and he later sought rhythm through moves and loans, including a productive period away from France. By May 2026 he is listed with Girona in La Liga, an environment that suits his passing angles, ball-carrying and ability to connect midfield with the final third without needing to dominate physically.
For Morocco, Ounahi debuted in 2022 and quickly became part of the first-choice midfield. He has played in the 2022 World Cup, AFCON tournaments and the 2026 qualifying campaign, usually as the lighter, more progressive complement to Sofyan Amrabat's ball-winning presence. Morocco's ability to progress through pressure often improves when Ounahi is available between lines.
Standing about 1.82 m, Ounahi is a right-footed central midfielder whose dribbling stride, body orientation and press resistance give him a distinctive style. He is often compared to a leaner version of Andres Iniesta or Adrien Rabiot with more improvisation: not a pure defensive midfielder, not a classic number ten, but a connector who turns possession into territory.