Ayoub El Hmidi
Ayoub El Hmidi is a Gibraltarian footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for Saudi Second Division League side Jubbah and the Gibraltar national team.
Club career
El Hmidi began his career with Lions Gibraltar, as a youth product. He made two appearances during his debut season before signing for Glacis United in 2017. Chances were limited at Glacis and he didn't play a league game, so in 2018 he joined Mons Calpe, where he quickly became a regular in the team, playing 56 games and scoring 17 goals across four seasons with the Calpeans.In 2022 El Hmidi signed for Europa for their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign, and after the Greens' exit from the competition he joined St Joseph's. After one season he signed for CD Torrijos in Spain on 13 July 2023. However, paperwork issues delayed his debut for the club. After terminating his contract in December due to these registration issues, he relocated to Morocco in January 2024, joining KAC Marrakech on a two-and-a-half year contract and becoming the first Gibraltarian footballer to play in Africa. Despite this, after only a month at the club where he only played in friendlies, he terminated his contract at the end of the winter 2024 window and returned to Gibraltar, joining FCB Magpies.
At the end of the season, El Hmidi returned to North Africa, joining newly promoted Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side AS Gabès. His contract was terminated by the club in January 2025 following an alleged dispute with coaching staff. He instead returned to Morocco to join USM d'Oujda on 24 January 2025. He scored his first goal in Morocco on 5 April 2025, netting the winner in extra time against top flight side Raja CA in the 2024–25 Moroccan Throne Cup Round of 16. At the end of the season he left the club and joined newly promoted Saudi Second Division League side Jubbah Club, once again breaking new ground as the first Gibraltarian to play in the Middle East. He scored his first goal for the club on 30 October 2025, in a 2–1 win over Al-Shoulla.