
The Moroccan international came on to City’s radar during the 1998 World Cup in France. Whilst not of the same class as Mustapha Hadji he was an accomplished midfielder with a vicious shot and boundless energy. Gordon Strachan signed him from Porto in 1999 and he had an excellent first season as City earned the nickname ‘The Entertainers’ and only missed games because of the African Nations Cup. The following season without McAllister and Keane a lot rested on Youssef’s shoulders and as the team struggled his form suffered. After relegation he played regularly for two seasons before being released in 2003 to allow him to move to Qatar where he played for three years with Al-Sadd & Al-Wakra. He was recalled to the Moroccan squad for the 2006 African Nations Cup but retired from international football soon after with 73 caps to his name. Later Youssef had trials with Hibernian and Swedish club Hammarby IF and did train with City at Ryton again.
Red cards (2)
1999-00
29 August 1999 v Sunderland A, two bookings
2002-03
1 February 2003 v Watford H, two bookings














































































































































































































































































































Morocco, 34 caps, 5 goals
Selected for the 2000 (#18) and 2002 (#18) African Nations Cup squads
1998-99
6 June 1999 Morocco v Guinea, Rabat, African Nations Cup Qualification, 1-0
1999-00
7 September 1999 Belgium v Morocco, Liege, friendly, 4-0
17 November 1999 Morocco v USA, Marrakesh, friendly, 2-1, replaced
21 December 1999 Morocco v Senegal, Agadir, friendly, 0-0, replaced
18 January 2000 Morocco v Trinidad & Tobago, El Jadida, 2000 African Nations Cup Qualification, 1-0, substitute
25 January 2000 Morocco v Congo, Lagos, 2000 African Nations Cup Group D, 1-0
29 January 2000 Morocco v Tunisia, Lagos, 2000 African Nations Cup Group D, 0-0, replaced
9 April 2000 Gambia v Morocco, Bakau, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, 0-1, replaced
22 April 2000 Morocco v Gambia, Casablanca, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, 2-0, replaced
9 July 2000 Algeria v Morocco, Fez, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group C, 1-2, booked, replaced
2000-01
2 September 2000 Gabon v Morocco, Libreville, 2002 African Nations Cup Qualification, 2-0, booked
8 October 2000 Morocco v Kenya, Casablanca, 2002 African Nations Cup Qualification, 1-0, goal
22 November 2000 Morocco v Libya, Casablanca, friendly, 0-0, substitute
13 January 2001 Tunisia v Morocco, Tunis, 2002 African Nations Cup Qualification, 0-1, replaced
28 January 2001 Egypt v Morocco, Cairo, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group C, 0-0, booked
24 March 2001 Morocco v Tunisia, Rabat, 2002 African Nations Cup Qualification, 2-0, goal, replaced
21 April 2001 Morocco v Namibia, Rabat, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group C, 3-0, booked, replaced
4 May 2001 Algeria v Morocco, Algiers, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group C, 1-2, booked, replaced
2 June 2001 Kenya v Morocco, Kasarani, 2002 African Nations Cup Qualification, 1-1
14 July 2001 Senegal v Morocco, Dakar, 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group C, 1-0, replaced
2001-02
5 September 2001 Italy v Morocco, Piacenza, friendly, 1-0
12 December 2001 Mali v Morocco, Settat, friendly, 1-1, goal (pen), replaced
13 January 2002 Morocco v Guinea, Rabat, friendly, 2-1, replaced
16 January 2002 Gambia v Morocco, Bakau, friendly, 0-2
21 January 2002 Morocco v Ghana, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 0-0
26 January 2002 Morocco v Burkina Faso, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 2-1
30 January 2002 Morocco v South Africa, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 1-3, replaced
2002-03
21 August 2002 Luxembourg v Morocco, Luxembourg City, friendly, 0-2
7 September 2002 Gabon v Morocco, Libreville, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 0-1, goal
13 October 2002 Morocco v Equatorial Guinea, Rabat, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 5-0, replaced
20 November 2002 Morocco v Mali, Rabat, friendly, 1-3
30 April 2003 Morocco v Ivory Coast, Rabat, friendly, 0-1, replaced
8 June 2003 Morocco v Sierra Leone, Casablanca, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 1-0, goal, replaced
20 June 2003 Morocco v Gabon, Rabat, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 2-0
Other caps for various clubs including Porto ans Al-Sadd (total 73 caps, 9 goals)
Selected for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic squad, 1998 FIFA World Cup squads before joining City
Selected for the 2006 African Nations Cups squad after leaving City