Nabil Dirar

Nabil Dirar (نبيل درار; born 25 February 1986) is a Moroccan former professional footballer who played as a winger.

Dirar retired in July 2023.

Born in Casablanca, Dirar moved to Belgium in his early teens and began his career at RWD Molenbeek and Saint-Gilloise before moving to Diegem Sport in 2004, where he began his professional career.

During his two-year stay, he scored 2 goals in 26 appearances.

Dirar's performances drew the attention of many clubs, including Westerlo, which won the race against other clubs to sign him, contracting him for three years effective 1 July 2006.

Dirar made his Westerlo debut in the opening match of the 2006–07 season, appearing as a late substitute for Patrick Ogunsoto in a 2–1 loss against Roeselare.

He scored his first Westerlo goal on 21 October in the sixth round of the Belgium Cup, a 1–0 win over Zaventem.

He finished the 2006–07 season with 2 goals from 35 appearances in all competitions.

He provided two assists in a 2–1 win over Mons on 10 February 2007, and did so again in a 4–2 win over Zulte Waregem on 21 April.

In the last match of the season, Dirar scored his first Westerlo goal in the Belgian First Division, in a 1–1 draw against Gent.

The 2007–08 season saw Dirar score his first goal of the season on 24 September 2007, in a 2–1 loss against Standard Liège.

He then set up two goals to help the club defeat Roseselare 6–0 on 20 October.

However, as the 2007–08 season progressed, he suffered injuries, restricting him to 25 appearances across all competitions.

Dirar's performances at Westerlo attracted interests from other clubs, including Ajax, Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Standard Liège.

On 19 January 2008, he scored one goal and assisted two others in a 7–2 win against RWDM Brussels.

Ultimately, he ended up joining Club Brugge, signing a five-year contract on 21 May 2008.

The next day after signing for Club Brugge, Dirar joined the squad, alongside Joseph Akpala and Ronald Vargas.

He made his Club Brugge debut in the opening match of the 2008–09 season, where he started and lasted the entire 90 minutes in a 4–1 win against Tubize.

After making his UEFA Cup debut against Swiss side Young Boys on 18 September 2008, He scored his first Club Brugge goal in the Bruges derby, a 3–1 win against Cercle Brugge on 19 October.

After making his debut, Dirar became a first-team regular under the management of Jacky Mathijssen, then made three assists, which he did twice against Zulte Waregem and once against Kortrijk between 29 October 2008 and 1 November 2008, both of which were wins.

Dirar scored his second goal of the season on 31 January 2009 in a 3–1 win over Tubize and again set up three assists, which he did twice against Roeselare and Cercle Brugge between 28 February 2009 and 8 March 2009 respectively, which were also both wins.

During the last match of the season, he scored and set up two goals in a 4–1 win over Royal Excel Mouscron.

In his first season at the club, he helped the club finish third place behind Anderlecht and Standard Liège, therefore qualifying for the following season's UEFA Europa League, and made 40 appearances, scoring 3 goals and assisting 11 times in all competitions.

Ahead of the 2009–10 season, Dirar was linked with a move to the English Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur and Everton expressing an interest in signing him.

Dirar, however, stayed at the club, while changes had been made, with manager Mathijssen replaced by Adrie Koster and Dirar being forced to compete with new signing Ivan Perišić in the starting lineup.

Despite this, Dirar scored and set up a goal in the opening match of the season, a 2–1 win over Charleroi.

In a 3–2 win against KV Mechelen on 15 August 2009, he spat at opposition player Yoni Buyens, which although went undetected by the referee, was caught on television.

Consequently, he served a five-match ban, three on immediate effect and two on the last match of the season.

However, after an appeal from the club, his ban was reduced to two matches.

Around the same time, Dirar was suspended by the club and was sent to the reserve team after being late for training.

Dirar made his return to the first team on 1 October in a 2–2 draw with Toulouse in the UEFA Europa League.

After again being late for training in mid-November, he was dropped from the squad against Charleroi and, as punishment, trained alone.

On 30 December, he returned to the first team and scored his second goal of the season (also setting-up another) in a 4–1 win over Kortrijk.

In early February, Dirar suffered an injury that kept him out throughout February and early March.

He was involved in altercation with the club captain Stijn Stijnen in training.

He finished the 2009–10 season with 4 goals and 11 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

Dirar returned to the first team on 21 March 2010, where he set up two goals in a 4–1 win over Beerschot.

Weeks later, he scored two goals in two matches against Anderlecht and Gent on 3 and 11 April respectively.

Ahead of the 2010–11 season Dirar signed a new contract with Club Brugge lasting until 2014.

However, he was again sent to the reserve team for two weeks after he failed to attend the fan day, though he claimed he did not attend because he was ill.