How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent | OneFootball

How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent | OneFootball

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Attacking Football

·12. Januar 2025

How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent

Artikelbild:How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent

Few stories in football are as disheartening as that of Mohammed Ihattaren. Once hailed as one of Europe’s most exciting young prospects, he was tipped for a bright future with PSV Eindhoven and later Juventus. Yet, by his early twenties, he found himself without a club, bogged down by off-field issues and personal struggles. This article examines how a prodigy’s career spiralled so dramatically out of control and whether there’s still a path to redemption.

The Sparkling Start at PSV

Mohammed Ihattaren was born in Utrecht in February 2002 to Moroccan parents and showed prodigious talent from a young age. He joined PSV Eindhoven’s highly regarded youth academy and quickly rose through the ranks. By the age of 16, he was already training with the first team. In early 2019, he made his senior debut in the Eredivisie.


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The 2019-20 season was a breakout campaign for the teenager. Ihattaren featured in 34 matches across all competitions, registering seven goals and nine assists. His performances were remarkable for someone so young, as he demonstrated maturity beyond his years. He was technically gifted, had an eye for a pass, and possessed the confidence to take on defenders without hesitation. Comparisons to Mesut Özil and Hakim Ziyech began to emerge, while Dutch fans saw him as a future star of the national team.

A Dream Move to Juventus Turns Sour

Unfortunately, the early promise didn’t translate into long-term success. The trajectory of Ihattaren’s career took a drastic turn in 2021 when Juventus signed him for around €6 million. At first glance, the move seemed like a natural progression for such a talented player. Juventus, with their history of developing and refining talent, looked like the ideal place for Ihattaren to continue growing. However, before he could even feature for the Italian giants, he was loaned out to Sampdoria to gain experience. What followed was a series of events that would derail his career entirely.

Within weeks of joining Sampdoria, Ihattaren stopped attending training sessions, and the club was reportedly unable to contact him. Rumours began circulating about personal issues, disagreements with the coaching staff, and concerns about his mental health. Rather than leaving his mark on the field, he returned to the Netherlands surrounded by uncertainty.

In November 2021, reports emerged suggesting that Mohammed Ihattaren was considering retiring from football at just 19 years old due to severe depression. Since the passing of his father in 2019, the talented midfielder had struggled to cope with life both on and off the pitch. Juventus, who had loaned him out to Sampdoria, even assigned him a personal assistant to help him adapt, but things continued to deteriorate. By mid-October, Ihattaren’s whereabouts were unknown, leaving both clubs in the dark. The loss of his father, who had been a guiding and strict figure in his life, reportedly led to personal issues that disrupted his career. Having not played a competitive match since April of that year, concerns mounted over whether he would ever return to professional football, with there being suggestions that he was considering retiring from football.

Off-Field Issues and Mental Health Struggles

Off-field issues soon became the dominant narrative around Ihattaren. Reports emerged linking him to criminal activities and questionable influences in his personal life. The Dutch media suggested that he had fallen in with the wrong crowd, which only added to the negative perception. It became increasingly clear that football was no longer his primary focus.

In August 2022, Dutch media reported that Ihattaren had been linked to individuals involved in criminal activities, specifically the infamous Marengo trial—a high-profile case centered on organised crime in the Netherlands. Allegedly, a car registered in Ihattaren’s name had been used by a suspect in the trial, further fuelling speculation about his associations with questionable figures.

The situation escalated in November 2022 when Ihattaren was arrested on suspicion of making threats. Though the details of the case remain unclear, the legal troubles compounded his already turbulent personal life and raised significant concerns about the influences surrounding the young footballer. These incidents further alienated him from professional football and tarnished his once-bright reputation.

Amid these controversies, Ihattaren opened up about his personal struggles in a candid 2022 interview, attributing much of his difficulties to the grief he experienced after the death of his father in 2019. He admitted that losing his father, who had been his greatest supporter, deeply affected his mental health and his ability to handle the pressures of professional football.

“My family didn’t tell me he had cancer. That was well-intentioned. To protect me and not let me lose focus on PSV. Only because a doctor made a slip of the tongue did I hear that my father had cancer and was already terminally ill,” Ihattaren recalled in De Telegraaf. “It made the blow of his death even harder, because I would have liked to have spent many more moments with him. Now I can’t call him anymore and I miss him every day,” he said, calling it “a bad movie.” “The image of the doctor literally pulling the plug on my father never leaves me. It’s burned into my retina. At the hospital, I left the car with the engine running, ran inside, and saw my dad die.”

This devastating experience left an emotional void that Ihattaren struggled to fill. He admitted to resisting help initially, rejecting therapy because he believed he could endure the pain alone. However, as his struggles grew more intense, he eventually sought professional support, which helped him begin the process of healing.

Could Ihattaren’s career have been saved?

It’s difficult not to wonder whether Ihattaren’s career could have been saved with better intervention. Players like Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham have thrived partly because of strong support systems around them—families, agents, and clubs working together to guide their development. In contrast, Ihattaren appeared isolated, facing his struggles without the same level of support.

“That changed my life a lot. Now I realise that having parents is the most beautiful thing there is. My father was my biggest fan. Every game he was there first. It didn’t matter when or where. His passing has hurt me a lot.”

Clubs also bear some responsibility in cases like this. When a young player moves to a new country, especially at a formative age, it’s crucial that the club provides not only technical training but also emotional and social support. Juventus, known for their focus on discipline and professionalism, may not have been the nurturing environment Ihattaren needed at the time.

“I thought it was temporary. That everything would be fine again. The PSV management offered me all the help they could think of. But I never believed in a psychiatrist; I was young and tough and thought I could bear the pain on my own. But the enormous emptiness ate at me and my performance became less and less. And it hindered me in my daily functioning. I now realise that I am much tougher for going to the psychiatrist.”

Is There a Way Back for Ihattaren?

At just 22, Ihattaren still has time to turn things around. Football is full of redemption stories—players who overcame personal and professional setbacks to reclaim their careers. However, the road back won’t be easy for him. He will need to make significant lifestyle changes, cut ties with negative influences, and work tirelessly to rebuild his reputation. Whether any club is willing to take a chance on him remains to be seen.

There are, however, signs of hope. On 19 September, Dutch Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk announced the signing of Ihattaren on a short-term contract until the end of the season. This marked a significant step in his attempted comeback. After more than two years away from competitive football, he made his return on 29 September, coming off the bench in the 80th minute during a 2–0 home loss to Ajax, his former club. Ihattaren’s return to the pitch generated some optimism, but the real breakthrough came two months later. On 29 November, he scored his first competitive goal in over two years, calmly converting a 91st-minute penalty to rescue a late 1–1 draw away at Heerenveen.

Artikelbild:How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent
Artikelbild:How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent

Since then, Ihattaren has been in and out of the team, making 10 appearances as he works on improving his fitness. Despite his limited minutes, the highlight of his stint so far came when he scored against his old club Ajax—a moment that reminded fans of the talent he still possesses. However, his struggle to complete 90 minutes regularly has underlined how far he has to go to regain full match sharpness.

While there are still significant hurdles to overcome, Ihattaren’s time at RKC Waalwijk could represent the foundation of a more stable chapter in his career. Consistency, fitness, and discipline will be key if he wants to prove that he can be relied upon. Convincing potential suitors that he has matured and is serious about football will remain his biggest challenge. For now, though, Ihattaren’s gradual return to action offers cautious optimism that his story isn’t over just yet.

Lessons to Be Learned

For clubs, the importance of mental health support and personal development programmes cannot be overstated. Ihattaren may yet have a future in football, but it will take hard work and personal transformation. Whether he can find his way back remains uncertain. But for now, his story stands as a sobering reminder of how quickly a promising career can unravel when focus, discipline, and support are lacking.

Artikelbild:How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent
Artikelbild:How Mohammed Ihattaren Career Came Crumbing Down: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Talent

That said, there is a glimmer of hope. Ihattaren appears to be rediscovering his love for football and is taking steps toward rebuilding his career. His recent performances suggest a player who is not just determined to succeed but also driven by a desire to honour his late father. Every minute on the pitch, every goal scored, seems like a tribute to the man who was his biggest fan. It’s not just about football anymore—it’s about proving to himself and the world that he can rise above his struggles and make his father proud.

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