Tranquillo Barnetta
Born: 22 May 1985 in St Gall (Switzerland)
Nationality: Swiss
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 69kg
Position: Midfielder
Clubs: 1991-1996: Rotmonten. 1996-2004: St. Gallen. 2004-2005: Hannover 96. Since 1 July 2005: Bayer Leverkusen.
Honours: 2002: U-17 European champion. 2004: U-21 European Championship (group matches). 2004: EURO (group matches): 2005: FIFA World Youth Championship (group matches). 2006: FIFA World Cup™ (round of 16; one goal in the 2-0 win against Togo in a group match). 32 “A” international matches for Switzerland, 6 goals.

Tranquillo Barnetta
He rates as one of the best footballers that Switzerland has ever produced and with the makings of a superstar. Meet 23-year-old Tranquillo Barnetta, in demand as an advertising icon, a midfielder with Bayer Leverkusen and a FIFA ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages.
Last December, top German team Bayer Leverkusen travelled to Zurich to contest a UEFA Cup match. After landing at the airport of Switzerland’s largest city, the players were surprised to see team-mate Tranquillo Barnetta smiling down at them from a host of posters, pictures and advertisements. Barnetta, a Leverkusen midfielder who wears the no. 7 shirt. Barnetta, who plays :or Switzerland sporting no. 16. Barnetta, rhe sought-after advertising idol — and not just for EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June.
Domestic and international enterprises have long since discovered Barnetta’s public magnetism. His unassuming and pleasant nature have already won him countless fans and, what is more, he is every mother-in-law’s dream. His appeal lies not in pithy repartee but in his convincing performances. He is a hard worker, not a phoney poser and one who emphasises family values and does not feed the tabloids with scandal-ridden rumours. For some, he is a touch too boring and banal, for others, he is simply unaffected and down-to-earth. In any case, it is a veritable breath of fresh air to find someone so natural in a business swarming with starlets and swanks.
Airs and graces are anathema to Barnetta. He has set up home in a simple flat with simple furniture in the centre of Cologne. And he drives a simple car. Other Leverkusen players who are nowhere near as highly regarded by coach Michael Skibbe reside in sumptuous shrines and drive luxury limousines.
A FIGHTER
Barnetta ticks differently from other players, although he did acquire a restaurant in his home town some time ago along with team-mate Christoph Spycher. The 23-year-old is happiest when he is at home with his parents and his elder brother, Alessandro. “Home” to him is St Gall, a town in eastern Switzerland with some 70,000 inhabitants. That is where Tranquillo grew up, went to school, completed his training as a commercial employee and earned his spurs in professional football.
By the age of 17, he was already a first-team regular for St. Gallen, the second oldest football club on the European mainland. He had already been noticed in 2002 by talent scouts from several top clubs when Switzerland surprisingly won the U-17 European Championship, with Barnetta emerging as one of the most sensational discoveries.
Weighing in at 69kg and measuring 1.78m, Barnetta is slimly built but in no way a lightweight. The midfielder is extremely fast on his feet and keeps a keen eye on the game. He is fast, lively, agile, virtually unstoppable and as slippery as an eel. And he never stops running. “But I have some shortcomings in tackling,” admits Barnetta, “so I avoid tussling for the ball.”
But he is still a fighter by any standards. On 9 October 2004, the player with the lungs of a racehorse tore a cruciate ligament in his knee after a brutal tackle by an opponent during a World Cup qualifying match against Israel. Five months later, he was up on his feet again – and playing for Hannover 96, to whom Leverkusen had loaned him. At that time, the club belonging to pharmaceutical giant Bayer had signed the 19-year-old from St Gallen but had decided to allow his talent to blossom elsewhere in Germany. After spending only one season with Hannover, Leverkusen brought Barnetta back into their fold. In no time, he was one of their stalwarts and has since become one of the linchpins in the team – as well as a crowd favourite.
DREAMING OF SAN SIRO
True to his name, Tranquillo is serenity itself off the field. But once he steps onto it, his Italian roots shine through and his high spirits take over. Barnetta is a team player, a fighter, a dynamo. “He is quite simply a superb footballer and a super person,” enthuses Leverkusen Sports Director and former international striker Rudi Voller.
Bamettas contract with Leverkusen runs until 2010 but he could change employers sooner than that for a fixed transfer fee of USD 10 million. A number of clubs are stalking him, ready to offer the midfielder the same amount or even more. The latest club rumoured to be interested in him was Arsenal.
His dream would be to play in Italy, Spain or England one day. “Yes, I would enjoy that,” says Bametta. His grandparents hail from Italy and he has often taken holidays close to the town of Bergamo, north-east of Milan. “We used to breeze through Milan in the car,” reminisces his father. “That’s what nurtured Tranquillo’s dream to play at San Siro one day.” The home of AC Milan and Inter Milan…
PENALTY MISS
The experts all agree that Bametta will soon be moving to one of Europe’s elite clubs where he will be able to hone his simmering skills. Barnetta – the new Swiss superstar? Barnetta sharing the same spotlight as Stephane Chapuisat (formerly Borussia Dortmund) and Ciriaco Sforza (previously with Kaiserslauten, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich), the two most successful players in Swiss footballing history? No-one is in any doubt about that.
Barnetta, in the role of FIFA ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages, concedes: “I was delighted when FIFA and SOS Children’s Villages asked me last year if I would like to assume this honorary position,” but he prefers not to discuss it at present. His attention is currently focused entirely on EURO 2008. “This fabulous tournament in my homeland will be the pinnacle of my career,” he remarks. “I hope that the entire population of Switzerland will be behind us. I am convinced that everything will be possible for us at this EURO.”
Switzerland will be facing the Czech Republic, Portugal and Turkey in Group A – three tough nuts to crack, especially considering the recent disheartening performances of coach Kobi Kuhn’s team. It is possible that the hosts will not progress from the group round although Kuhn described his goal many years ago as the title, no less.”The Swiss national team is one cohesive unit – that has always been our strength. If we play as one unit during EURO 2008, we should go far,” muses Barnetta.
Farther than at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™? It was in the group game against Togo that Barnetta took the place by storm. Alexander Frei had opened the score after a textbook assist from Barnetta, who went on to net the second goal. In the round of sixteen, however, it was curtains for Switzerland when they came up against Ukraine. The final score was 3-0 after the penalty shoot-out, and one of the three Swiss misses was by none other than Barnetta himself…

Gennaro Gattuso
Born: 9 January 1978 in Corigliano (Italy)
Nationality: Italian
Height: 177cm
Weight: 77kg
Position: Midfielder
Clubs: 1994-1997: Perugia. 1997-1998: Glasgow Rangers. 1998-1999: Salernitana. Since 1999: AC Milan.
Honours: 2003: UEFA Champions League and European Super Cup winner, Italian cup winner. 2004; Italian super cup and Serie A winner. 2006: FIFA World Cup™ winner. 2007: Winner of the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League and the European Super Cup. 58 caps for Italy, 1 goal.
Miscellaneous: Married to Monica, two children (daughter Gabriela and son Francesco)

“Much more difficult than the World Cup”
EURO 2008 will take place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June. FIFA World Cup™ winners Italy are hot favourites for the title. In this interview, Gennaro Gattuso, 30-year-old midfield dynamo of the Azzurra and AC Milan, talks about EURO 2008, Italy, Scotland, Milan, Paolo Maldini, David Beckham and Michael Ballack.
FM: Are Italy the hot favourites to win EURO 2008? Gennaro Gattuso: Of course! .After all, we’re the world champions and we qualified for EURO 2008 in style ahead of France, Scotland and Ukraine. However, we face a tough group with France, the Netherlands and Romania. Like us, France and the Netherlands will have aspirations to win the title, as will Germany, who rarely lose big matches, Spain, Portugal and, of course, defending champions Greece.
How have Italy changed since the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany?
Gattuso: Roberto Donadoni had an unenviable task taking over the reins from Marcello Lippi. However, he has succeeded in improving our tactical flexibility while also bringing outstanding players such as Ambrosini, Aquilani and Di Natale on board. Donadoni has enhanced our tactical variety, which has given us renewed impetus. We’re as hungry as ever for success, and with our technical skills and our experience, we can go far in Austria and Switzerland if we arrive at the tournament fit and relaxed. But the European Championship is much more difficult than the World Cup. If you look at previous tournaments, you’ll see that Italy have often struggled there.
Why is this?
Gattuso: Well, there are no easy opponents at the EURO. All of the teams play at an extremely high level and every single game is like a cup final. The teams are familiar with one another and often play in a similar manner. What’s more, the rest periods between games are shorter — the tournament may not last long, but it’s certainly intense. So it’s vital to have a large, high-quality squad that can withstand the psychological pressures of competing for a title that calls for six top performances in 23 days. It’s a question of all or nothing even in the group stages, as EURO 2004 in Portugal showed.
EURO 2004 was a bitter experience for Italy.
Gattuso: It certainly was. We were eliminated despite a win and two draws and, like Germany and Spain, we failed to qualify for the quarter finals. The players from these countries were burnt out after a lengthy season involving many domestic and international matches. That’s why so many of the 16 teams have a chance of winning the EURO 2008 title.
Which players will rise to the fore at EURO 2008?
Gattuso: From our team, I’d pick out Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and Luca Toni. I also expect Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Spain’s Fernando Torres and Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic to have an outstanding tournament because of their technical skills and athleticism. Experience is also vital at the European Championship. World-class players like France’s Thierry Henry and Germany’s Michael Ballack can drive their team towards the title by force of personality alone.
You’re also capable of spurring your team on …
Gattuso: I’m no star, if that’s what you mean. I’m a team player who always gives everything for the team. I don’t have Pirlo’s refined skills or understanding of the game, but I can contribute to the team’s success by winning the ball back, battling, running and helping out my team¬mates. I drive the whole team on and set an example.
Did you ever have an idol?
Gattuso: Salvatore Bagni, a team-mate of the great Diego Maradona at Napoli. Bagni later moved to Inter Milan, and my dad Franco, a Milan fan, wouldn’t allow me to hang a poster of Bagni on my bedroom wall. Now the player I admire most is my team-mate Paolo Maldini. He’s played in more than a thousand official games during his professional career, all of them at the highest level. He is the perfect role model in terms of professionalism and passion for football, still devoting the same energy to training at 40 as he did when he began his career.
Silvio Berlusconi, owner of AC Milan, thinks you would be the ideal successor to Maldini as team captain.
Gattuso: I sincerely hope Paolo continues his fantastic career. It remains to be seen whether I’m handed the captain’s armband in future. Milan have had a special place in my heart since childhood. It would be a great honour for me to follow on from Franco Baresi and Maldini.
Despite your passion for AC Milan, you wanted to leave the club three years ago.
Gattuso: That was after the unbelievable loss against Liverpool in the final of the UEFA Champions League in Istanbul. We led 3-0 and eventually lost on penalties! I was ashamed and the experience left me feeling bruised for a long time. Fortunately, the trainer and my team-mates were able to get me motivated again. We recaptured our will to win and succeeded in avenging the defeat last year in Athens.
The Milan team is old, and it looks as if its time may have passed.
Gattuso: The time cannot have passed on the Champions League winners and world club champions. All we need is one or two young players and then we’ll once again be a match for any team at home or abroad. As for myself, I don’t set any limits. I hope to be around for a long time yet. However, at the moment I’m completely focussed on the goals that lie ahead, namely qualification for next year’s Champions League and a successful outcome to EURO 2008.
You moved to Scotland at an early stage in your career, and this helped you evolve tremendously as a person and a player.
Gattuso: I was 18 years old and I’ll forever be grateful to my father for encouraging me to leave Perugia and join Rangers. He said I would be mad to give up the chance of earning 250,000 euros a year when he had to get by on 500 euros a month. I overcame my fears and found two magnificent mentors in Paul Gascoigne and Walter Smith. They taught me how to combine aggressiveness with loyalty. I remember my first Old Firm derby match, with me, a Catholic, playing for a Protestant team against its great Catholic rivals Celtic. I was booked in the first minute, and then sent off ten minutes later for another foul. The hairs still stand up on the back of my neck when I think of the fans chanting my name at Ibrox Park -”Reenooo! “Reenooo!” From then on my team-mates and the fans nicknamed me “Braveheart”. At first, they made fun of me because I didn’t recognise the picture of the woman hanging in the changing room. It was Queen Elizabeth.
You were the first young Italian to move abroad, over ten years ago. Moves like this are common nowadays.
Gattuso: Whether you like it or not, it’s a question of market forces. However, limits have to be set if you want to keep the national identity of football. Perhaps it would be a good idea to grant preferential treatment to the club that brought the young player through the ranks. If less well-off clubs were given first refusal on players they’d brought through, they’d have a vested interest in stepping up their training and youth development work. Without this guarantee, the pressure to succeed is too great. No club can afford to spend the necessary time developing its talented young players.
Thanks to your huge popularity, you’ve become a sought-after advertising icon in Italy.
Gattuso: It’s great fun to shoot advertisements. I just try to be myself. Well known companies improve my image and that of footballers generally. My hometown of Corigliano in the province of Cosenza is to be used as a backdrop for some adverts, which means I can allow my people to share in my success.
You’ve retained close links with your hometown.
Gattuso: I’m proud to be a “Terrone”, the derogatory name given in Italy to southern Italians, and I identify with the values of the region – family, friendship, generosity and compassion. I’ve set up a charity bearing my name in Corigliano to build football pitches and facilities for children from needy families. I’ve also set up a fish factory in the area that provides work for many young people. Calabria has a high rate of unemployment. By investing in my region, I can give back to the region some of what it’s given me.
According to a poll taken after the 2006 World Cup, English women said you had greater sex appeal than David Beckham.
Gattuso: That’s because of my spontaneous and natural personality. My wife Monica just laughs about it, just as she laughs about the photos of me in men’s underwear that appear on billboards, in newspapers and on television. Although she was less amused at first. I don’t see myself as another Beckham. I just want to be my own person. So I’ve never rubbed cream on my face!
Your nickname is Ringhio, which roughly translates as “The Snarler”. You’re seen as a player who bites away at players’ ankles.
Gattuso: I don’t like this name, but now everyone calls me it, even my friends. I’ve got used to the name because, ultimately, it’s a compliment.
In private, I’m not at all aggressive, but instead a quiet family man. My wife and my children Gabriela and Francesco are my real hobby, not to mention my dog Sam, a Golden Retriever with whom I go jogging to burn off the calories from all the chocolate I eat.
While other players embrace one another, you celebrate goals by giving Marcello Lippi and Carlo Ancelotti a slap.
Gattuso: I have an excellent relationship with both coaches. We respect one other greatly. I don’t know why I behave that way with them, it just happens instinctively, and my manner of celebrating has now become something of a lucky charm. Who knows, I might even start giving Roberto Donadoni a slap during EURO 2008!

Football was brought to Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia at the beginning of the 20th century by the Europeans who had settled in those three countries. Since then, countless Maghrebi players have paraded their talents across Africa and Europe.
Ask any Atletico Madrid fan of a certain age about the Moroccan, Larbi Ben Barek, and his eyes will light up. The player in question, nicknamed “The Black Pearl”, was a member of the Spanish club’s “crystal forward line” 60 years ago, the best in the club’s entire history. Ben Barek, who played for Atletico between 1948 and 1953, won two Spanish league titles and was the first Maghrebi footballer to make a name for himself internationally. Before moving to Spain, he had made headlines in France with Stade Francais and Marseille and thanks to him, African football was able to begin to carve out a niche for itself in Europe. Ben Barek was also the first Moroccan to play for France, making four appearances, and was emulated by his compatriot, Adderrahmane Belmahjoub, who became the first Arab African to play at the World Cup after appearing for France at the 1954 FIFA World Cup™ in Switzerland.
After these two players came a whole series of fine North African footballers who wrote their names on the international scene in letters of gold, such as Mohamed Timoumi, Badou Zaki and Noureddine Naybet of Morocco, Rachid Mekhloufi, Rabah Madjer, Salah Assad and Lakhdar Belloumi of Algeria and Tarik Dhiab, Hammad Agrebi and Hatem Trabelsi of Tunisia.
These players and others led Algeria to two FIFA World Cups™ (Spain ’82 and Mexico ’86), Morocco to four (Mexico 70, Mexico ’86, USA ’94 and France ’98) and Tunisia to another four (Argentina 78, France ’98, Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006). Morocco were also victorious at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations and were emulated by Algeria in 1990 and Tunisia in 2004.
LEVEL IMPROVED
Despite all these triumphs, Maghrebi football is not as dominant as it used to be in Africa, and teams such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Cote dTvoire and Egypt have started to take over. Tarek Diva, who starred for Tunisia in the 1978 FIFA World Cup™ in Argentina and became the first (and thus far only) Tunisian to be crowned African Footballer of Year in 1977 thinks that Maghreb countries have lost ground in Africa because they lack the structure and means to offer their players a high level of physical preparation. According to Dhiab, the greater physical prowess of players from other African countries makes them more sought after by European clubs than Maghrebi players.
The experiences that players from Cameroon, Cote dTvoire or Nigeria have gained at European clubs has benefited their national teams, whose level has improved. “The European sides look for speed and power. Our players are technically good, but lack physical preparation. Our football lacks means and structure. Maghrebi football lives for the day without thinking much about the future. Good footballers might come through, but in order for a national team to succeed you need fifteen or twenty quality players,” says Dhiab.
The legendary Tunisian midfielder thinks that there were no successors to the great Maghrebi teams of the 70s and 80s due to a lack of resources. “The Tunisian side of 1978, the Algerian side of 1982 and the Moroccan side of 1986 were exceptions. This led to some years of glory, but no continuity. They were exceptional generations, but if you look at France or Brazil, they have continuity because they have done their work properly,” explains Dhiab.
NOT IN BEST OF HEALTH
Rabah Madjer, the legendary Algerian forward who played for his country at two FIFA World Cups™, won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1990 and was the hero of Porto’s European Cup triumph in 1987, agrees that Maghrebi football is going through a difficult period. “Our football is not in the best of health. Our players are more technical than physical and these days physical prowess takes precedence, as demonstrated by the fact that European clubs opt for footballers from other African countries who are less technical and mote physical,” says Madjer.
Madjer’s comments are corroborated by the fact that the last Maghrebi winner of the African Footballer of the Year award was the Moroccan, Mustapha Hadji, ten years ago. Before that, there had been three previous winners from Morocco, Ahmed Faras (1975), MohamedTimounti (1985) and Badou Kaki (1986), two from Algeria, Lakhdar Belloumi (1981) and Rabah Madjer (1987) and one from Tunisia, Tarik Dhiab (1977) — to date, seven Maghrebi players have therefore won the African Footballer of the Year award. Labri Ben Barek would probably have been the first recipient of such an honour if it had been in existence prior to 1970, when Salif Keita of Mali became the first-ever winner.
There were also three Algerians who made their mark on French football at the end of the 1950s and would have been in the running for the award, namely Abdelaziz Ben Tifour (Nice and Monaco), Rachid Mekhloufi (Saint-Etienne) and Mustapha Zitouni (Monaco).
Mekhloufi and Zitouni were in with a chance of playing for France at the 1958 FIFA World Cup™ in Sweden, but fled France on the outbreak of the Algerian war and instead formed the first-ever Algerian national team with other compatriots. Mekhloufi won the 1957 Army World Cup in Argentina with France. He was also top scorer in the French league championship in 1966. He won four caps for France between 1956 and 1957 and the league with Saint-Etienne in 1957, 1964, 1967 and 1968. However, it was not until the 70s and 80s that Maghrebi football truly came of age and Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco shone at Argentina ’78, Spain ’82 and Mexico ’86 respectively.
“THE MAGICIAN”
Tunisia have the honour of being the first African country to win a match at the FIFA World Cup™ following their 3-1 win over Mexico at Argentina ’78. That side included Tarek Dhiab, midfielder Hammad Agrebi, nicknamed “The Magician”, striker and captain Temime Lahzami and winger Nejib Gommidh, who scored his country’s second against the Mexicans.
Morocco also made history as the first African team to qualify for the knockout stages, topping their group in Mexico ’86 after goalless draws against England and Poland and a 3-1 win over Portugal. That side is particularly feted for midfielder Mohamed Timoumi, goalkeeper Badou Zaki and strikers Abdelkrim “Ferry” Krimau and Aziz Bouderbala. Krimau, who played for Bastia in the 1978 UEFA Cup final, and Bouderbala, who played for Sion in Switzerland and French clubs Matra Racing and Lyon, were the only two Moroccans at the 1986 FIFA World Cup™ who did not play in their home country. Badou Zaki, who played for Mallorca between 1986 and 1992 and won the African Footballer of the Year award in 1986, was declared the continent’s best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the Confederation of African Football. Midfielder Mohamed Timoumi, who was African Footballer of the Year in 1985, made his name at FAR Rabat, although he also played for Lokeren in Belgium and Spanish club Murcia.
Another notable player was Abderrazik Khairi, who scored two goals against Portugal in Morocco’s historic win at Mexico ’86. Mohamed Timoumi, the star of that team along with goalkeeper Badou Zaki, agrees with Madjer and Dhiab on the importance of physical preparation. “That team of 1986 had prepared very well physically, which accounted for 50 or 60% of our success. The step we took by qualifying from the group stage inspired the whole of African football, as Cameroon showed at the following FIFA World Cup™ when they reached the quarter-finals,” says Timoumi.
Although Timoumi agrees with Madjer and Dhiab that Maghrebi football is going through a difficult period, the legendary Moroccan player is optimistic and believes that things could change. “There are good players in our countries, you just have to prepare them well and guide them. We are of average level at the moment, but I think that football associations in the Maghreb have the motivation to change things and that the good results will return,” says Timoumi.
LOCAL IDOLS
Before the generation of players led by Timoumi, other Moroccan players had emerged on the international scene, such as Abdelmajid Dolmy, a defender whose career spanned two decades from 1970 to 1991 and who played in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups and won the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia. The team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976 also featured Ahmed Faras, who was African Footballer of the Year in 1975 and is Morocco’s all-time leading striker with 41 goals.
Finally, Algeria almost became the first African side to qualify for the second round of the FIFA World Cup™ at Spain ’82 after beating West Germany 2-1 and Chile 3-2 and losing 2-0 to Austria. The Algerians would only go out if West Germany beat Austria 1 -0 in the last match in the group; any other result would see the North African team progress. However, the West Germans won 1-0 in a match which gave rise to suspicions of a pact between the two European neighbours and Algeria were knocked out. The star of that side was Rabah Madjer, who scored the first goal in Algeria’s historic win over the Germans. “In that team there were many footballers who had spent a lot of time playing together for the junior national teams. This is no longer the case in our national teams, as can be seen from the poor results,” says Madjer.
Madjer’s team-mates at national level included die midfielder Lakhdar Belloumi, who scored Algeria’s second goal against Germany and was African Footballer of the Year in 1981, forward Mustapha Dahleb, who is one of Paris Saint-Germain’s best-loved players, winger Salah Assad, who was at PSG and Mulhouse, and midfielder Ali Bencheikh, who was runner-up in the African Footballer of the Year awards in 1978. These were the glory days of Maghrebi football, which have never been repeated. Algeria have not qualified for the FIFA World Cup™ since Mexico ’86, while Morocco returned in USA ’94 and France ’98 but were unable to make it past the first round.
Tunisia have been the most successful of the three countries in recent years, having qualified for France ’98, Korea/ Japan 2002 and Germany 2006, although they fell at the first hurdle on all three occasions. However, the lack of results has not prevented great footballers from emerging from the Maghreb.
Algeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1990, their only triumph to date, with players such as striker Cherif Oudjani, who scored the winner in the final against Nigeria. That team also featured midfielder Moussa Saib, who played for Auxerre, Valencia and Tottenham, and Mahieddine Meftah, who holds the appearances record for Algeria (107) and is also the man with the most Algerian league titles (1989, 1990 and 1995 with JS Kabylie and 2002, 2003 and 2005 with USM Alger).
A PROMISING FUTURE
Morocco have also produced good players such as midfielder Mustapha Hadji, who was African Footballer of the Year in 1998 and played in the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups™, while his club career included spells in France (Nancy), Portugal (Sporting), Spain (Deportivo La Coruna and Espanyol) and England (Coventry City and Aston Villa). The best-known Moroccan player of recent years is Noureddine Naybet, however, who has 115 caps for his country. After winning the African Cup of Champion Clubs in 1992, he played for Nantes, Sporting Lisbon, Deportivo la Coruna, with whom he won the Spanish league title in 2000 and the Spanish cup in 2002. After eight years in Spain, he played for English club Tottenham Hotspur for two years. He also played in six Africa Cup of Nations and the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup™.
Tunisia has produced players such as right-back Hatem Trabelsi, who played for Ajax and Manchester City, striker Adel Sellimi, who was at Nantes, Jaen and Freiburg and is Tunisia’s second-highest scorer of all time with 20 goals, goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel, defender Khaled Badra or midfielder Zoubier Baya, who became the first player of Arab origin to captain a Bundesliga side at his club, Freiburg. These players formed the backbone of the highly successful Tunisian side of 1998-2006, which took part in three FIFA World Cup™ and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004.
Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia have been unable to repeat their exploits of the 70s and 80s but still have a number of players who have made it in Europe such as the Moroccans Houssine Kharja (Siena), Tarik Sektaoui (Porto) and Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux), the Algerians Karim Ziani (Marseille) and Brahim Hemdani (Rangers) or the Tunisians Karim Haggui (Bayer Leverkusen), David Jemmali (Bordeaux), Jawhar Mnari (Nuremberg) and Francileudo Santos (Toulouse), the latter of whom is of Brazilian origin.
The future looks promising, particularly for Morocco and Tunisia, who have been successful in World Cups at youth level, with Morocco finishing fourth in the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2005 in the Netherlands. Striker Mouhssine Iajour also finished sixth in that tournament’s goalscoring charts with three goals. Tunisia, meanwhile, reached the last sixteen of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007 in Korea, losing to France in extra time. The standout player in that team was Nour Hadhria, who netted three times and was the tournament’s eighth-highest goalscorer. These new generations fill the Maghreb, the cradle of African football, with hope of a return to the glory days of the 70s and 80s.