New York City FC’s inaugural MLS squad: Where are they now?
By Matt Coles
RM – Mehdi Ballouchy – Retired
Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy started on the right side of a four-man midfield for the Sky blues in their MLS debut against Orlando City in 2015. The winger played 19 times over the course of their inaugural campaign in the American top flight, scoring three times and assisting two other goals.
After moving to the States from Morocco at the age of 16, Ballouchy signed a Generation Adidas contract with MLS, and was taken second overall by Real Salt Lake in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, after a successful spell with the Canta Clara Broncos whilst he was at college there.
After two seasons in Salt Lake City, the winger made the move to the Colorado Rapids, where he would spend the next three seasons of his career. He then made 77 appearances for the Rapids, before moving to the New York Red Bulls, San Jose Earthquakes and eventually the Vancouver Whitecaps ahead of the 2014 campaign.
He was then picked by NYCFC with their sixth selection in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft ahead of the 2015 campaign. Ballouchy went on to play for the Sky Blues for the next two seasons, including helping them into the playoffs at the end of 2016, before retiring. He is now a coach in the NYCFC academy.