Moroccan player Hakim Ziyech has moved closer to joining Botafogo after arriving in Brazil in recent hours to complete the deal, which media reports said now depends on him passing a medical.
Ziyech, 33, is expected to join the Brazilian club on a free transfer after Moroccan side Wydad terminated his contract days ago. If the signing is officially announced, he will embark on a relatively rare experience, becoming the eighth Arab player to play professionally for a Brazilian club.
Kharoubi and Al Kamali open the way
Algerian Khaled Kharoubi was the first of these players in 2002, when he moved from the under-19 side of Grenoble Foot to Bangu Atlético. A year later, he joined Esporte Clube Vitória on loan for a year and a half, then returned to Bangu before moving to French club Valenciennes in summer 2004. No statistics are available for his appearances in Brazil.
In May 2008, Abdullah Al Kamali joined Athletico Paranaense, becoming the first Emirati and Gulf player to play professionally in Brazil. The player, who was 17 at the time, had scored 23 goals for Al Wasl's reserve team during the 2007-2008 season, but spent one season there before returning home and joining Shabab Al Ahli.
Yemeni and Algerian experiences
Yemeni player Ahmed Al-Sarori arrived in Brazil in early 2018 through Central, in the state of Pernambuco. His subsequent experience included Tigres do Rio de Janeiro, Caxias, Mato Grosso, Londrina and Apucarana Parana.
Algerian Islam Slimani had a shorter spell with Coritiba, joining the club in August 2023 after his contract with Belgian side Anderlecht expired. The spell lasted six months, during which he made 11 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and providing two assists, before moving to Belgian club KV Mechelen.
In August 2024, Mohamed Al-Arouch joined Botafogo from Olympique Lyonnais on a free transfer, but terminated his contract after one month without making an appearance. He then joined Belgian club RWDM Brussels in winter 2025, before moving to Ittihad Tangier at the start of this year.
Al-Ruwaili and Labyad among the latest experiences
Halil Al-Ruwaili became the first Saudi player to move to a Brazilian club when he left Al-Musaidiyah for São José, who compete in the fourth tier, in September 2025. Contact over the deal began after Brazilian influencer Samuel Silva expressed interest in helping the player join a club located near him geographically.
