Walid Cheddira

Walid Cheddira (Arabic: وليد شديرة; born 22 January 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Napoli. Although born in Italy, he represents Morocco internationally.

Walid Cheddira
وليد شديرة

Cheddira with Morocco in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Walid Cheddira[1]
Date of birth	(1998-01-22) 22 January 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth	Loreto, Italy
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Napoli
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2017	Loreto	49	(9)
2017–2019	Sangiustese	72	(20)
2019–2021	Parma	0	(0)
2019–2020	→ Arezzo (loan)	13	(0)
2020	→ Lecco (loan)	2	(0)
2020–2021	→ Mantova (loan)	38	(9)
2021–2023	Bari	65	(23)
2023–	Napoli	1	(0)
2023–2024	→ Frosinone (loan)	36	(7)
2024–2025	→ Espanyol (loan)	22	(1)
International career‡
2022–	Morocco	6	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 28 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17 July 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Cheddira spent the first four seasons of his senior career in the lower, non-professional tiers of Italian football.^[2]

On 10 July 2019, Cheddira signed a three-year contract with Serie A club Parma,^[3] who loaned him to Arezzo in Serie C on 22 July.^[4] He made his professional Serie C debut on 25 August, as a starter in a game against Lecco.^[5] After half a season, Parma sent Cheddira on loan to Lecco on 31 January 2020,^[6] and to Mantova on 4 September.^[7]

On 18 July 2021, Cheddira joined Bari on loan,^[8] who made the deal permanent on 30 June 2022, signing a contract until June 2025.^[9]

On 20 August 2023, Cheddira was signed by Napoli and loaned to Frosinone for the 2023–24 season.^[10]

On 27 August 2024, Cheddira moved on a new loan to Espanyol in Spain.^[11]

International career

Cheddira was born in Italy and is Moroccan by descent.^[12] He was called up to play for the Morocco national team for two friendlies against Chile and Paraguay on 23 and 27 September 2022, respectively;^[13] he made his debut against Chile as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 win.^[14]

On 10 November 2022, Cheddira was named in Morocco's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.^[15][16] He made his competition debut as an 82nd-minute substitute in the round of 16 against Spain, a penalty shoot-out victory for Morocco following a 0–0 draw after extra time.^[17] In the quarter-finals against Portugal, Cheddira came on in the 65th minute, and was sent off for two yellow cards in stoppage time. Morocco won 1–0.^[18][19]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 18 August 2024^[20]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Coppa Italia		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sangiustese	2017–18	Serie D	34	10	0	0	2[a]	1	36	11
	2018–19		38	10	0	0	2[b]	0	40	10
	Total		72	20	0	0	4	1	76	21
Arezzo (loan)	2019–20	Serie C	13	0	2	0	1	0	16	0
Lecco (loan)	2019–20	Serie C	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Mantova (loan)	2020–21	Serie C	38	9	0	0	1[c]	0	39	9
Bari	2021–22	Serie C	34	6	0	0	3[d]	0	37	6
	2022–23	Serie B	31	17	3	5	4[e]	0	38	22
	Total		65	23	3	5	7	0	75	28
Napoli	2023–24	Serie A	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2024–25		1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
Frosinone (loan)	2023–24	Serie A	36	7	3	1	0	0	39	8
Career total			227	59	9	6	13	1	249	66

1. Appearances in Coppa Italia Serie D
2. One appearance in Coppa Italia Serie D, one appearance in Serie D promotion play-offs
3. Appearance in Serie C promotion play-offs
4. One appearance in Coppa Italia Serie C, two appearances in Supercoppa di Serie C
5. Appearances in Serie B promotion play-offs

Honours

Bari

• Serie C: 2021–22^[21]

Individual

• Serie B Player of the Month: September 2022^[22]
• Coppa Italia Top scorer: 2022–23

Orders

• Order of the Throne: 2022^[23]