AS Monaco announced Friday the signing of Moroccan attacking midfielder Ilias Belmokhtar's first professional contract. The 17-year-old, born May 12, 2008, in Ivry-sur-Seine, joined Monaco's Academy in 2023 after training at ES Vitry, AS Orly, and CREPS Reims. Belmokhtar spent most of this season with Monaco's U17 squad under Manu Dos Santos before moving to the U19 team. He scored fifteen goals, including multiple braces against Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint-Etienne, and Stade Rennais. The midfielder's breakthrough came at March's U17 African Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he captained the national team to their first-ever title in the competition. Belmokhtar scored the decisive penalty in the final against Mali and earned a place in the tournament's team of the year. "I thank AS Monaco for the trust placed in me by signing this first professional contract," Belmokhtar stated. "It's a source of pride for my family and me. After the joy of the U17 AFCON, this is another important moment in my young career."
