INDIANAPOLIS – Indy Eleven announced on Friday the club had signed defender Younes Boudadi ahead of the 2023 USL Championship season. Per club policy, terms of the contract that brings the dual Belgian and Moroccan national to the Circle City, pending league and federation approval, will not be released. 

“I am proud and excited to be a part of this project to bring the fanbase and the organization the success it deserves,” said Boudadi. “I pride myself in showing up every day and giving everything in my power to achieve our goals, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Boudadi joins Indiana’s Team after serving as one of fellow USL Championship club Hartford Athletic’s most dependable players over the last two seasons. The 26-year-old right back finished his 2022 campaign having made 33 appearances (31 starts) and leading Hartford in minutes played (2,796), interceptions (61), and duels (262), while also placing in their top three in tackles (44), tackles won (27), and duels won (138).

“Younes is a right back with a great skill set; he’s incredibly athletic, good in the air, and has an ability on the ball in the defensive and attacking thirds,” said Indy Head Coach Mark Lowry. “His 1-v-1 dribbling and ability to get crosses into the box is a key component to our system, and he fits the profile of what we want from our fullbacks. He is coming off a good season at Hartford and is hungry to kick on and get even better.”

Since his 2020 rookie campaign with Reno 1868 FC, Boudadi has collected six assists in 69 official matches, including 67 USL Championship regular season appearances, one USL Championships Playoffs contest (Reno in 2020) and one Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match (Hartford in 2022).

Boudadi was drafted by Los Angeles FC in January 2020 on the heels of a collegiate career that spanned four seasons at Boston College (2016-17) and Creighton University (2018-19), where he combined to tally 16 assists and added one goal across 69 contests. Boudadi came to the United States to attend university in 2016 from his native Belgium, where he was a product of the youth system of Belgian giant Club Brugge, which he joined at the age of six. During that time, his Moroccan citizenship allowed him to suit up for their youth national teams, an experience that included six appearances in the 2013 U-17 African Cup and another four games in in the 2013 U-17 World Cup.