Yassine Echahdi's journey from a promising footballer in Ouazzane to a prominent figure in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) is a testament to resilience and reinvention. Despite early setbacks, including a career-halting injury, Echahdi transformed challenges into opportunities, ultimately finding success in both the culinary world and international football administration. The story began in the city of Ouazzane. In the 1980s, for Yassine Echahdi, football was more than a passion, it was a path toward a better future. He began his sporting journey with the youth team of Olympique Ouazzane, before moving to Mechra Bel Ksiri and several other Moroccan clubs. His outstanding performances eventually earned him a call-up to the Moroccan national team for the 1988 African Cup of Nations. But his luck didn't last long: a leg injury cut short his time with the national squad. «In the eighties, most professional football players came from modest families, and I was one of them», Yassine told Yabiladi. «I grew up in a family with eight sisters, so I had to earn money to help with their studies. I was in dire need of income, and even after I got injured, I couldn't reveal it. I wrapped my leg in a bandage and kept playing because if I admitted my injury, I wouldn't get paid. Unfortunately, that only made it worse». When an Injury Becomes a New Beginning But as Yassine puts it, fortune came at the right time. «I was playing for Raja Agadir when we had a friendly match against the French club Toulouse. After the game, during dinner at the hotel, I met Dominique Rocheteau, the captain of the French team at the time. I told him I wanted to play professionally in France and he helped make it happen». Echahdi soon joined Toulouse but couldn't play officially because of the foreign player quota. He later moved to Strasbourg, but the Gulf War disrupted foreign residency decisions, and his lingering injury made it hard to progress further. At 24, Yassine realized he couldn't keep waiting for an opportunity that might never come. He needed stability, for himself and his family back in Morocco. He joined a vocational training program, earning a heavy machinery driver's license in just three days, and soon landed a job with Ricoh Industrie France, a major printing equipment company. «When I was introduced at Ricoh, I was presented as a former professional footballer. My colleagues were surprised, they couldn't believe I had left football to become a driver. The pay was modest compared to theirs, but for me at the time, it meant a lot. I had no choice but to find another path, even though I loved football deeply». A New Field, the Same Spirit Despite entering the industrial world, Yassine never abandoned football. Together with colleagues, he began organizing friendly matches within the company. Over time, this initiative evolved into an official corporate team that competed against Ricoh branches worldwide. «The idea was mine», he says proudly. «It turned into a global championship within the company. I was promoted from driver to manager within four years and I worked there for twenty years». After two decades of stability, a new chapter began when Ricoh announced an automation project replacing human workers with robots. «When I saw the presentation with the Japanese executives, I sensed danger immediately», he recalls. «I knew I had to come up with an alternative». That alternative appeared by coincidence: a three-story restaurant for sale caught his and his wife's attention. «My wife loves cooking, so in 2009, we decided to buy it. The place had been closed for nine years and needed a full renovation. I resigned from my job and dedicated myself to rebuilding it, using the compensation I received from the company». Months of intense work followed. Yassine lost 14 kilograms due to exhaustion and stress, and the funds were running out. Still, he pushed forward and when their restaurant, Le Touareg Colmar, finally opened, the success exceeded all expectations. «We expected just a few customers, but the place was packed. We were overwhelmed and slow to serve, thinking we might not last a week. But, thank God, we made it. The restaurant gained a strong reputation and now welcomes ambassadors and high-ranking officials». The First Moroccan at the IFFHS Even while running the restaurant, Echahdi never cut ties with football. He began coaching several teams and, in 2014, co-founded a sports association that organized the Girls Alsace Cup, an international women's football tournament. In 2016, the association invited Morocco's women's national team, and two years later, Fouzi Lekjaa contacted him to organize a similar event in Morocco. «We held it at the Mohammed VI Complex in 2022», Yassine recounts. «Despite the pandemic and border closures, everything went smoothly. We hosted several European teams for Women's Day under the association, which later became Mobile Academy and opened a branch in Ouazzane». In 2020, Yassine Echahdi joined the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), the global body that compiles football records and awards. Today, he serves as Executive Member in charge of External Relations, becoming the first Moroccan to hold this position. «I'm proud to represent Morocco and Moroccan talent», he says. «Recently, we awarded Soufiane Rahimi as the world's top international scorer». Yassine doesn't hesitate to credit his wife for his success. «My success is thanks to my wife. Truly, behind every great man there's a woman. She's my support system, especially when I'm away for football work. She's the backbone of our family».
