Morocco’s Bilal El Khannouss wins the Belgian Lion Award for 2023

Moroccan midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, who plays for Belgian Pro League, has won the Belgian Lion Award, a football award in Belgium given annually to the best Maghreb player in the Belgian First Division A, nieuwsblad reports.

El Khannouss, who also plays for the Moroccan national team, won over Moroccan-Belgian Ismael Kandouss, who plays as a defender for Belgian Pro League club Gent. Gent winger Tarik Tissoudali was ranked second while the third place was a tie between Algerian Adem Zorgane of Charleroi and Youssef Challouk of KV Kortrijk.

The competition also crowns female footballers. The Belgian Lionne Award for 2023 was given to Moroccan footballer who plays as a forward for RSC Anderlecht Sakina Ouzraoui. The latter plays for the Morocco women's national team, which was qualified to 2023 World Cup in Australia.