When Youssef Ezzejjari signed with Emami East Bengal FC, the Red & Gold faithful were cautiously optimistic. They had seen marquee strikers arrive in the City of Joy before, only to crumble under the crushing weight of expectation.
Turns out, the footballing gods were on their side this time!
As Emami East Bengal ended their agonizing wait to claim the Indian Super League title, the Spaniard who also represented Morocco at youth level, emerged not just as the top goal-scorer, but as the pulsating heart of a historic resurgence.
“I cannot describe the emotions after that final whistle on the final day. We had a few intense weeks, but then the way we bounced back in the last game against Inter-Kashi was commendable. And the celebration after that with the fans, and in the locker room with the staff was simply amazing,” Youssef recalled in an exclusive conversation with Read.
That he would become a cult hero so soon was something not even he had imagined.
“Since day one, the moment you arrive, you realise how big this club is, with the fans and the history. Seeing the joy on the fans’ faces after waiting for 22 years was unbelievable. Fandom here is a legacy, transferred from parents to kids, and it’s something beautiful.”
Youssef ended the 2026 ISL campaign with 11 goals in 13 games to claim the Golden Boot. His prolific scoring run spearheaded Emami East Bengal’s successful campaign, bringing the club at the summit of the top division for the first time in more than two decades.
Adapting to the frantic, humid, and emotionally charged atmosphere of Indian football, wasn’t an issue for him either.
“I’ve been in east Asia since 2020-21. The weather too is pretty similar here. And then the most important aspect is your relationship with teammates and the coaching staff. They have helped me a lot since day one,” he said.
Much of his seamless transition can be credited to his chemistry with coach Oscar Bruzon.
“I got the call from Oscar. He wanted me 5 years ago as well at Bashundhara in Bangladesh. But that didn’t work out because I had already signed a pre-contract with another club in Indonesia at the time,” he said.
“And then now when I was in Singapore, I got his call again. I didn’t have any doubts about joining East Bengal because I knew his teams always have a winning mentality.”
It is a relationship built on mutual footballing obsession. Bruzon, a master tactician, asked him to be the focal point of a high-pressing, fluid system. And it wasn’t long before Youssef became the conduit for Bruzon’s attacking vision.
However, a striker is only as dangerous as the service he gets. This is where his partnership with midfielder Miguel Figueira was vital. The chemistry between the two was almost telepathic.
“He always finds the movement of the striker. And when you have this kind of a player behind you, you get at least two, three chances in a game. What we achieved together – him winning the Golden Ball, me getting the Golden Boot, and the team winning the ISL trophy together – I couldn’t ask for more,” Youssef tells beamed with pride.
The crowning glory came on the final day of the season. In a match against Inter Kashi where they had to win to edge out Mohun Bagan for the title, Ezzejjari’s equalising goal dragged Emami East Bengal back into the contest. And when the final whistle blew to confirm Emami East Bengal as champions, the scenes were surreal.
For Youssef Ezzejjari, it was the ultimate reward after a career spent traveling the world in search of a place to call home.
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