Asma Merzougui: RC Lens’ Rising Star on and off the Pitch

Asma Merzougui is quickly becoming a prominent figure for RC Lens Féminin, attracting attention not only for her skills on the field but also for her growing popularity on social media. With nearly 190,000 followers on Instagram, she rivals the social media presence of teammate Florian Thauvin.

A Unique Path to Professional Football

Born in Montreal, Canada, Merzougui’s journey to professional football is described as “atypical” by RC Lens Féminin manager Sarah M’Barek. She began her footballing career with the Ahuntsic Braves and CS Fabrose, a semi-professional club in Quebec . In 2021, she contributed to Cégep Vanier’s national university championship win, being decisive in the semi-final match .

From University Football to European Ambitions

Merzougui continued her development in the United States, appearing in the elite university championship and later joining the reserve team of the Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2024 . While studying at Loyola University Maryland since 2023, she pursued her ambition to launch a European career, ultimately signing with RC Lens Féminin in February 2026 , .

On the Field: A Technical Midfielder

M’Barek describes Merzougui as a “technical midfielder, with good vision of the game and good volume despite her large size.” . She made her debut for RC Lens Féminin in a match against PSG on February 20, 2026, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute. As of March 23, 2026, she has appeared in the squad but remained on the bench during the match against Dijon.

Beyond Football: A Model and Social Media Star

Merzougui balances her athletic career with modeling, describing herself as a “professional athlete and model” on her Instagram profile . Her Instagram account (@zougiiii) boasts 189,000 followers, and she also maintains a TikTok account with 73,000 subscribers. She collaborates with Mehdi Football RS .