Omar El Hilali

Omar El Hilali Khayat (born 12 September 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for RCD Espanyol. Born in Spain, he represents Morocco at youth level.

Club career
Born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, El Hilali joined RCD Espanyol's youth setup at the age of 13, from hometown side CF Santa Eulàlia. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 18 October 2020, starting in a 2–1 Segunda División B home win against AE Prat.

El Hilali made his first-team debut at the age of just 17 on 4 April 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute for injured Óscar Gil in a 3–0 away success over Albacete Balompié in the Segunda División. On 14 December 2023, after establishing himself as a first team regular, he extended his contract with the club until 2027, being definitely promoted to the main squad.

International career
El Hilali was born in Spain to a Moroccan family, with roots in Tangier. He represented the Morocco U20s at the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

In June 2023, he was included in the final squad of the under-23 national team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco itself, where the Atlas Lions won their first title  and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Honours
Espagnol
 * Segunda División: 2020–21

Morocco U23
 * U-23 Africa Cup of Nations: 2023