Anas Zniti (Arabic: أنس الزنيتي; born 28 October 1988) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and captain for Botola side Raja CA and the Morocco national team. He previously played for Maghreb Fez and AS FAR.[2]

Anas Zniti
Anas Zniti with Morocco in 2014
Personal information
Full name Anas Zniti[1]
Date of birth (1988-08-28) 28 August 1988 (age 35)[1]
Place of birth Fes, Morocco
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Raja CA
Number 1
Youth career
2000–2006 Maghreb Fez
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2013 Maghreb Fez 107 (0)
2013–2015 AS FAR 58 (0)
2015– Raja CA 346 (0)
International career
2004–2006 Morocco U-20 4 (0)
2006–2010 Morocco U-23 11 (0)
2018– Morocco A' 18 (0)
2013– Morocco 5 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Morocco
African Nations Championship
Winner 2018 Morocco
Winner 2020 Cameroon
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 April 2024

In March 2006, Zniti was called up for a training camp of the Morocco Olympic squad,[3] remaining in the squad the following year for further Olympic qualifying games.[4]

Early life edit

Anas Zniti was born on 28 October 1988, the son of the Maghreb Fez School, who has been promoted to the first team since 2008.[5] Anas family has always supported him and encouraged him to play sports, and this is not strange because he belongs to a family that cares much about football, his mother was a goalkeeper and his father used to play rugby in the ranks of the Fez Sports Federation[6]

Club career edit

Maghreb fez edit

Zniti started his professional career playing for Fez. He spent a total of 8 seasons playing for Maghreb Fez. He is considered one of the best goalkeepers at the national level at the present time. He achieved the Throne Cup title in 2011[7] in addition to the 2011 African Confederation Cup[8] in the same year in a final match against Tunisian Sfaxien, in which he started and saved two penalty kicks and managed to score the last kick that gifted the title to Al-fas. He also led the club to achieving the 2012 African Super Cup,[9] eventually His contract ended with Maghreb Fez in June 2013.[5]

FAR Rabat edit

After the end of his contract with Maghreb Fez, he received two offers from two European teams, but the understanding between them and his manager did not happen, and therefore there was no need to discuss the offers, which he received, especially since he had the desire to take a new experience in his football path. He then signed with Royal Army team. He spent a total of 3 seasons with the team but having no success with them achieving absolutely nothing.[6]

Raja CA edit

On 26 May 2015, Zniti signed a contract with Raja CA. He had a huge success with the team winning over 7 titles. He won his first title with Raja after a draw with Libyan football team Al-Hilal SC (Benghazi) to win the 2015 UNAF Club Cup. on 2017 he won his second title after defeating Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi to achieve the 2017 Moroccan Throne Cup.[10] In 2018 starts Raja glory in Africa. He won the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup[11] with the team after defeating AS Vita Club in the finals. which guaranteed them a spot in the 2019 CAF Super Cup, eventually Him and his team won the title after a 2–1 victory over Espérance Sportive de Tunis take took place in Thani bin Jassim Stadium in Qatar.[12] In 2020, He won the league for the first time. and won the 2020 Arab Champions League after defeating Al-Ittihad 4–3 in penalties after saving Fahad Al-Muwallad penalty.[13] In 2021, he achieved the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup[14] after defeating JS Kabylie 2–1 in the final. Raja lost the 2021 CAF Super Cup[15] against Al Ahly SC in penalties.

International career edit

 
Zniti lining up for the Moroccan national team in 2014

At national level, Zniti plays for the Moroccan A' team. He is considered the second goalkeeper and the successor to Nadir Lamyaghri in the first team. On 12 December 2012, he played his first match with the Moroccan national team for local players in a friendly against Niger. He also played his first match with the first team against Zambia in a warm-up. For the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations on 8 January 2013.[16]

Anas Zniti represented Morocco in the 2018 African Nations Championship, helping them to achieve their first CHAN title.[17]

He also played in the 2020 African Nations Championship. Morocco won again and becoming the first and only side so far to win the CHAN back to back.[18]

On 30 December 2021, Zniti broke his hand after being invited to participate in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[19]

Honours edit

Mas Fès

Raja CA

Morocco

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021: List of players: Morocco" (PDF). FIFA. 4 December 2021. p. 8. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Anas Zniti, MAS goalkeeper" (in French). Affaire Maroc.
  3. ^ "Olympic:players called up for a training camp". The Atlas Lions. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Sport : Eliminatoires JO-2008: 23 joueurs convoqués pour le match contre le Botswana" (in French). Infos du Maroc. 25 May 2007. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  5. ^ a b "أنس الزنيتي". areq.net. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b HAITAMI, PDG : Mohammed. "واجهت زاناكو مع المغرب الفاسي وأعد جماهيرنا بالتأهل إلى دور المجموعات". Le Matin Sports. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Morocco 2010/11". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. ^ "African Club Competitions 2011". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  9. ^ "African Club Competitions 2011". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Morocco 2016/17". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  11. ^ "African Club Competitions 2018". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  12. ^ "African Club Competitions 2018". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Arab Club Championship 2019–21". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  14. ^ "African Club Competitions 2020/21". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  15. ^ "African Club Competitions 2020/21". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  16. ^ "أنس الزنيتي". UNAF: Union Nord Africaine de Football (in Arabic). Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Hosts Morocco crowned CHAN champions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  18. ^ Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "Morocco win second CHAN title after defeating Mali in final". CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Football: A broken hand deprives Anas Zniti of CAN". Morocco Latest News. 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Morocco 4–0 Nigeria – February 04, 2018 / CHAN 2018".
  21. ^ ""La Nuit des Stars" : le Wydad Casablanca (hommes) et l'AS FAR (dames) raflent la mise" ["The Night of the Stars": Wydad Casablanca (men) and AS FAR (women) win the day]. lematin.ma. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.]
  22. ^ ""Événement : Tout Sur " La Nuit Des Stars " Qui Célèbre La Famille Sportive"" [Event: All About « The Night Of Stars » Which Celebrates The Sports Family]. fr.le7tv.ma/. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.]
  23. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  24. ^ Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "El Kaabi named Total man of the tournament". CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 12 January 2022.

External links edit