Ilyass played his youth soccer in the local Hamilton region with organizations such as Hamilton Sparta, Saltfleet, and Hamilton Serbians.[1] He later became associated with the Oakville Soccer Club, where the club arranged a tryout for him abroad in Uruguay.[1] Following his stint in South America, he secured a deal with Moroccan side Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi where he featured in only practice and friendly matches.[1] During his stint in Morocco, he acquired a Moroccan passport through his parents' lineage.[1]
Club career
In 2019, with the launch of the national Canadian Premier League, he successfully passed the Forge FC trials.[2][3][4] After failing to secure a contract with Forge, he would play in the southern Ontario-based Canadian Soccer League with Scarborough SC in 2021.[5] In his debut season with Scarborough, he participated in the invitational tournament known as the ProSound Cup where he contributed a goal against Atletico Sporting Toronto which advanced the club to the finals.[6] Scarborough faced FC Vorkuta in the championship final but was defeated in a penalty shootout.[7][8] He would also help the club secure the playoff berth by finishing second in the standings.[9] In the opening round of the postseason, he recorded a hattrick against the Serbian White Eagles which advanced the eastern Toronto side to the championship final.[10][11] Ilyass played in the championship match, where Scarborough successfully defeated Vorkuta.[12][13]
He would return for another season with Scarborough the following year.[14] In his sophomore season with the club, he assisted the club in securing a playoff berth by finishing third.[15] For the second consecutive year, he helped Scarborough reach the championship final and contributed a goal in the semifinal match against York Region Shooters.[16] He participated in the championship final once again, where Toronto was defeated by FC Continentals (formerly FC Vorkuta).[17]
Ilyass would also split the 2022 season with the Blue Devils FC.[18] He would help the club secure a playoff berth and finish second in the league scoring charts.[18][19] He would feature in the league championship final against Vaughan Azzurri where Oakville was defeated.[20] After the conclusion of the season, he was named to the league's all-star team.[21] In 2023, he played with local side Hamilton United.[22] He would also spend the early portion of the 2023 season once again in the CSL circuit with Hamilton City.[23]