Islam Slimani

Islam Slimani was born on the 18^th June 1988. He is an Algerian international football player who is currently playing the role of a striker for the club, Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. He is also a member of the Algerian national team. Islam Slimani played his first match for the country in the year 2012, and as of January 2014, Islam Slimani has played the total of 17 matches for the Algerian national team with the total of 9 goals to his name.

source of picture: www.sportsmafia.info

Club Career

In May 2009, Islam Slimani joined the club, CR Belouizdad from his former club, JSM Cheraga for a transfer fee of 800,000 Algerian dinars, signing a two-year contract. He played his first match for his club as a starter in the match that was played against MC Oran in the first week of the 2009/10 Algerian Championnat National. He completed his first season with the club with the total of 8 goals in 30 matches for the club.

On the        17^th May 2011, Islam Slimani scored 4 goals in the league match that was played against JS Kabylie, leading his club to a 7-1 win, which was impressive. In July 2011, with his contract expired and many French clubs’ interest in signing the player, like Nice and Le Havre, he decided to extend his contract with the club, CR Belouizdad for two years.

On the 6^th August 2013, Islam Slimani joined Sporting Clube Portugal. Islam Slimani began the 2013/14 season as a sub being used as a secret weapon and scoring the crucial goals from the bench, but because of the lack of form of Fredy Montero, he started four matches and scored four goals for the club in the early March 2014 against Rio Ave, SC Braga, Victoria de Setubal and the derby against Porto which finished 1-0. On the December 2013, Islam Slimani was selected as the best Algerian football player of the year as he won the Algerian golden ball.

International Career

On October 2009, Islam Slimani was called up by the coach of the Algerian A team, Abdelhak Benchikha for the first time to the Algerian A national team for a week training camp in Algiers. In March 2010, Islam Slimani was called up again, this time for a 2011 African Nations Champions qualifier match that was played against Libya, and he was substituted by Youcef Saibi, his teammate because of injury problem. He never played the match as his country won the match 1-0.

 In May 2012, Islam Slimani was called up for the first time to the Algerian national team for the 2014, FIFA World Cup qualifier match that was played against Mali and Rwanda and the second leg match of the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier match that was played against Gambia. On the 26^th May, he played his first match for the Algerian national team, as he came into the friendly match that was played against Niger as a sub at the half-time. After a week, Islam Slimani scored his first international goal for the Algerian national team, as he scored the 3^rd goal in the match that was played against Rwanda and the match finished 4-0 in the year 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He scored another goal against Mali in the next game that was played against Gambia.