Moestafa El Kabir (; born 5 October 1988) is a Dutch-Moroccan former professional footballer who played as a forward. Starting off his career with NEC in the Netherlands in 2008, he went on to play for clubs in Sweden, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Japan before retiring in 2022.
Career Early life El Kabir revealed he began playing street football and it wasn't until when he was 12 years old, El Kabir joined an organised club, which was Blauw Wit, where he began his football career. El Kabir also revealed that he started out as a defender before playing in a striker position during his time at Blauw Wit.
In 2005, El Kadir joined Jong Ajax and stayed there for two years. He later stated that his reasons of his release was due to his attitude problem. After leaving Ajax, he was offered a contract by rivals, Feyenoord, but the trauma of the abdominal muscles prevented him from joining the club. Nevertheless, El Kabir did join Jong Feyenoord and stayed there for a year before joining FC Utrecht, where he was assigned to the club's reserve team. But in the summer of 2008, El Kabir left FC Utrecht to sign with Eredivisie side NEC on 3 June 2008, starting his professional career. As a result, he signed his first professional contract with NEC, on a one–year contract. Immediately after signing for the club, El Kabir was assigned to Jong NEC Nijmegen.
NEC
Having impressed Jong NEC Nijmegen in his first five months, El Kabir made his NEC debut, starting a match and played 82 minutes before being substituted, in a 1–1 draw against NAC Breda on 22 November 2008. Five days later on 27 November 2008, he made his UEFA Cup debut, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur. After the match, El Kabir said about making his tournament debut: "This game was definitely a dream." It was announced on 27 December 2008 when he signed a contract with NEC, keeping him until 2012. Since making his debut for the club, El Kabir received a handful of first team football, mostly coming from the substitute bench. This lasted until he was removed from the first team, due to being disciplined over his weight problems and never played for the side again. Despite this, El Kabir made fourteen appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2009–10 season, El Kabir was recalled to the first team after being given a second chance by Manager Dwight Lodeweges. He then made his first appearance of the season, starting a match and played 81 minutes before being substituted, in a 2–0 loss against Feyenoord in the opening game of the season. A month later on 22 September 2009, El Kabir scored his first goal for the club, in a 3–2 win against FC Eindhoven in the second round of the KNVB Beker. Since the start of the 2009–10 season, he was featured in every match for the side until he was suspended for three matches for unprofessional conduct made during Jong NEC's match against Jong AZ Alkmaar. While serving a suspension, it was announced on 9 November 2009 that El Kabir was dropped from the first team, due to his continuous disciplined over his weight problems and never played for the club again. It was announced on 8 February 2010 that El Kabir was told he would not be playing any more matches for NEC, as result of disciplinary action, and even allowed to leave the club despite having two years left to his contract. Shortly after, he went on a trial at Allsvenskan side Mjällby AIF.
Mjällby AIF It was announced on 7 March 2010 that El Kabir moved to Sweden, joining new promoted Allsvenskan side Mjällby AIF, signing a two–year contract. Upon joining the club, he said: "I am really so happy that I'm here in Sweden have signed. It feels like a relief. Finally I feel that I have confidence again. Although I have a two and a half year contract, the plan is to be resold after one year. I want to go higher and know I can. I see it as a good opportunity to put myself in the spotlight again."
El Kabir made his Mjällby AIF debut, starting a match and played 75 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against AIK in the opening game of the season. Two weeks later on 29 March 2010, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 away win against Örebro SK. His second goal for the club came on 19 April 2010 against BK Häcken, scoring the only goal of the game, in a 1–0 win. After being sidelined on two occasions, El Kabir scored in the next two matches between 15 May 2010 and 22 May 2010, scoring twice against Malmö FF and once against Åtvidaberg. Two months later on 4 July 2010, he scored four times in the fourth round of the Svenska Cupen, winning 4–1 against Malmö FF. This was followed up by scoring in a 3–0 win against Örebro SK in the quarter–finals of the Svenska Cupen. However during a 1–0 loss against IF Brommapojkarna on 24 July 2010, El Kabir was sent–off for the second time in the 86th minute for a second bookable offence. After the match, Manager Peter Swärdh criticised him, describing him as "temperamental" and let down both the team and his teammates. Following a one match suspension, El Kabir returned to the starting line–up against GAIS, as Mjällby AIF lost 3–2 on 7 August 2010. Two weeks later on 21 August 2010, he scored twice for the side, as Mjällby AIF drew 3–3 against Gefle. A month later on 27 September 2010, El Kabir scored his thirteen goal of the season, as well as, setting up the club's second goal of the game, in a 3–0 win against Djurgården. After serving a one match suspension following his booking during a match against Djurgården on 27 September 2010, he scored the next two goals against Halmstad and Kalmar FF. Despite being sidelined throughout the 2010 season, El Kabir continued to be in the first team regular for Mjällby AIF, playing in an attacking position. In his first season at the club, he made twenty–seven appearances and scoring five times in all competitions.
At the start of the 2011 season, El Kabir continued to be in the first team regular despite transfer speculation over his future at Mjällby AIF. He then scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–0 win against Kalmar FF on 16 April 2011. After being sidelined for one match, El Kabir scored twice on his return to the starting line–up, helping the side win 3–0 against IFK Norrköping on 30 April 2011. He then scored twice for the second time this season, scoring against Djurgården, as they won 3–0 on 23 May 2011. In a follow–up match against Gefle, however, El Kabir suffered an injury in early first half and had to be substituted in the 24th minute, in what turned out to be his last appearance for the side this season, as Mjällby AIF drew 0–0. By the time he departed from the club, El Kabir made ten appearances and scoring five times in all competitions.
Following his loan spell at Cagliari ended, El Kabir returned to his parent club halfway through the 2012 season. However, he continued to be linked away from Mjällby AIF as clubs from Europe interested in signing him. Despite this, it wasn't until on 12 August 2012 when El Kabir made his first appearance for the side, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute and set up the club's second goal of the game, in a 4–2 loss against IFK Göteborg. A month later on 15 September 2012, he scored his first goal of the season, as they won 4–0 against GAIS. Since returning to Mjällby AIF, El Kabir was featured in the first team for the next four matches before suffering a knee injury during a match against Gelfe on 23 September 2012 and was sidelined for the rest of the season. At the end of the 2012 season, he went on to make five appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Loan to Cagliari Throughout his time at Mjällby AIF, El Kabir was linked a move away from the club, as clubs from Europe interested in signing him. On 5 April 2011, Cagliari's President Massimo Cellino announced they signed El Kabir on loan for the 2011–12 Serie A season. Two months later on 15 June 2011, the club confirmed the move, which included an option to sign him permanently on a four–year contract.
El Kabir made his debut for the club, coming on as an 87th-minute substitute, and scored the club's second goal of the game, in a 2–1 win away match against Roma on 11 September 2011. However, he suffered a muscle injury that kept him out for a month. Although El Kabir did recover from a muscle injury in early–October, his return was short–lived when he suffered another muscle injury strain that kept him out for the rest of 2011. After recovering from his muscle injury strain in late–December, it wasn't until on 8 January 2012 when El Kabir returned to the first team, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute, in a 3–0 win against Genoa. He then made his first start for the side, playing 56 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Novara on 5 February 2012. However, El Kabir was plagued with injuries once more that eventually ruled him out for the rest of the season. At the end of the 2011–12 season, he went on to make seven appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Following this, Cagliari announced it decided against exercise the option to sign El Kabir permanently and returned to Mjällby.
BK Häcken In November 2012, Häcken announced the signing of El Kabir, signing a three–year contract with the club.
El Kabir made his Häcken debut in the Svenska Cupen against Falkenberg and set up the club's only goal of the game, as they lost 2–1. This was followed by scoring three more goals, including a brace against IFK Värnamo. He then made his league debut for the club, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 loss against IFK Göteborg in the opening game of the season. Two weeks later on 14 April 2013, he scored his first goals for the club, in a 4–0 win against Djurgården. El Kabir's goal scoring spree continued throughout the first half of the season, eventually scoring thirteen times in all competitions. His performance earned him June's Player of the Month. He played an important role in the first leg of UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round, setting up both goals, in a 2–2 draw against Sparta Prague. Eventually, BK Häcken were through to the next round following a 1–0 win in the second leg. After being sidelined for one match, El Kabir then added two more goals in the next matches against AIK and IFK Göteborg. During a match against IFK Göteborg on 4 August 2013, he sustained a back injury and was substituted in the 21st minute. Following this, it was announced that he was out until October. But El Kabir made his return to the first team on 30 September 2013, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute, in a 0–0 draw against Gelfe. Despite suffering from injuries during the 2013 season, he was a first team regular, playing in a striker position. In his first season at BK Häcken, El Kabir made twenty–nine appearances and scoring fifteen times in all competitions, making him a top scorer this season.