Rida Zouhir Bio
Rida Zouhir-Takedam (born November 23, 2003) is a Canadian professional soccer player who most recently played as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club D.C. United. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, he came up through the Montreal Impact Academy before signing his first professional contract with CF Montréal in December 2020. He has also gained senior experience on loan with San Antonio FC and Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship, and he has represented Canada at the U-20 level.
Eligible for both Canada and Morocco through his family background, Zouhir has been part of youth national team setups for both countries. A central midfielder comfortable operating in a variety of roles in the middle of the pitch, he broke into professional soccer as a teenager and has continued to develop through a mix of MLS minutes and lower-division loans.
Early Life and Background
Rida Zouhir-Takedam was born on November 23, 2003, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Growing up in a city with a deep soccer culture, he was introduced to the sport at a young age in the local youth system.
Zouhir began playing youth soccer with CS Braves D’Ahuntsic when he was five years old, where he quickly stood out and was moved up to play with children two or three years older than him. That early acceleration helped him develop technical comfort on the ball and a reading of the game beyond his age group.
In 2016, at the age of twelve, he joined the Montreal Impact Academy, the youth development arm of Montreal’s top-flight professional club. The move marked his entry into a more structured professional pathway and set the stage for his eventual first-team contract. He is of Moroccan descent, giving him international eligibility for both Canada and Morocco.
Path to Soccer
Zouhir’s path into professional soccer ran through the Montreal Impact Academy, where he spent several seasons training and competing at a high youth level. The academy environment exposed him to professional coaching, advanced tactical concepts, and the daily demands that come with preparing for a senior career.
His progress through the academy ranks eventually led to a first professional agreement. On December 4, 2020, Zouhir signed his first homegrown contract with the Montreal Impact, a club that was renamed CF Montréal ahead of the 2021 season. The deal confirmed the club’s belief in his potential and gave him a direct route from the academy into Major League Soccer.
That same pathway also brought his first taste of senior soccer outside the top flight. Loan spells to San Antonio FC and Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship gave him consistent minutes as a young professional, helping him adjust to the physical and tactical demands of men’s professional soccer before returning to the MLS environment.
Rida Zouhir Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Zouhir made his professional debut with CF Montréal on August 8, 2021, in a 2–1 loss against D.C. United, becoming one of the youngest homegrown players to appear for the club. Just over two months later, on October 27, 2021, he made his first start for the club in a Canadian Championship semi-final match against Forge FC, signaling a growing role in the team’s cup plans.
On March 12, 2022, Zouhir made his first MLS start against New York City FC, marking another step in his transition from academy prospect to first-team contributor. Later that spring, in April 2023, he extended his contract with CF Montréal through 2024, with a club option for 2025, before being sent on loan to San Antonio FC of the USL Championship to accumulate regular senior minutes.
CF Montréal Breakthrough (2021–2024)
Across his time with CF Montréal, Zouhir split his development between the MLS first team, the club’s developmental sides, and lower-division loans. The structure allowed him to train at a high level every day while still earning the rhythm of weekly senior games elsewhere.
While on loan with San Antonio FC, he scored his first professional goal on May 27, 2023, in a match against New Mexico United, a milestone moment that underlined his growing comfort as an attacking midfielder. The 2024 season saw him play with the CF Montréal U23 team before being loaned to Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship in August, where he continued to gain valuable senior experience.
At the end of the 2024 season, CF Montréal did not exercise its option on Zouhir, ending his time with the club that had developed him since childhood and bringing his long homegrown chapter to a close.
D.C. United Era (2025)
In February 2025, Zouhir signed a contract for the 2025 Major League Soccer season with D.C. United, with club options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The move gave him a fresh opportunity in a new market and a clear runway to establish himself as a regular MLS contributor.
He featured for D.C. United through the 2025 campaign, operating primarily as a midfielder. At the end of the 2025 season, the club declined its option on his contract, making him a free agent and opening the next chapter of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most notable moments of Zouhir’s early career are his professional debut against D.C. United in 2021, his first start in the Canadian Championship later that year, and his first MLS start against New York City FC in March 2022. He also scored his first professional goal with San Antonio FC in May 2023 and represented Canada at the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, appearing in every group-stage match and the Round of 16.
Rida Zouhir Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Zouhir is of Moroccan descent, a heritage that gives him eligibility to represent Morocco at international level in addition to Canada. That dual eligibility shaped parts of his youth international pathway, including an early call-up to the Moroccan U-20 team in March 2022.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Zouhir grew up in a city known for its passionate soccer community. He began his playing career in the local youth ranks before moving into the professional academy system as a teenager, the environment in which he has spent most of his formative years.
2025 Season Performance
Zouhir’s 2025 season was defined by his move to D.C. United, a new club environment following his exit from CF Montréal. The campaign gave him a chance to reset his professional trajectory and showcase his abilities in a fresh setting within Major League Soccer.
Operating primarily as a midfielder, he worked to establish a consistent role within the squad while adapting to a new team structure, new teammates, and a new coaching staff. His previous loan experiences in the USL Championship helped him arrive in Washington with a strong base of senior minutes under his belt.
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, D.C. United declined its contract option on Zouhir, making him a free agent. As he looks beyond 2025, he enters the next stage of his career as a young midfielder with MLS experience, international youth caps, and a clear goal of securing a new professional home.