Issam El Maach

Issam El Maach (born 1 February 2001) is a Dutch-born Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper in the Eredivisie for Dutch club RKC Waalwijk and the Morocco national under-23 team.

Club Career

Early career

Born in Alphen aan den Rijn and raised in Helmond, El Maach began his football career with local club RKSV MULO before being recruited to the youth ranks of VVV-Venlo. In 2016 he moved to the youth academy of SBV Vitesse, from where he was scouted and joined the Ajax Youth Academy a year later.

Ajax

El Maach signed a two-year contract with Ajax in 2017 with an option for an additional year. He made his professional debut with the reserves team Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie on 18 January 2018 in a 4–1 loss to RKC Waalwijk. Jong Ajax ended the season as champions of the second division, becoming the first reserves team to win a championship since the introduction of reserves teams in professional football in the Netherlands.

He made his first team debut on 11 January 2019 in a friendly game against Brazilian club Flamengo in the Florida Cup.

On June 26th, 2020 it was announced that El Maach contract was not going to be extended leaving him eligible to find a new club.

RKC Waalwijk

On 14 July 2021 it was announced that El Maach had signed with Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk as a free transfer on a 1-year contract.