Adel Taarabt facts for kids
Taarabt playing for Benfica in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 May 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Taza, Morocco | ||
| Height | 1.82 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder, left winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Al-Nasr | ||
| Number | 49 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Lens | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2007 | Lens | 1 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 48 | (8) |
| 2010–2015 | Queens Park Rangers | 109 | (26) |
| 2013–2014 | → Fulham (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2014 | → AC Milan (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2015–2022 | Benfica | 79 | (2) |
| 2017–2018 | → Genoa (loan) | 28 | (2) |
| 2022–2025 | Al-Nasr | 55 | (21) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006 | France U17 | 3 | (2) |
| 2008 | France U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2009–2022 | Morocco | 30 | (4) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Adel Taarabt (born 24 May 1989) is a professional footballer from Morocco. He plays as an attacking midfielder or winger. Currently, he plays for UAE Pro League club Al-Nasr.
Adel started his football journey in France with Lens. In 2007, he moved to the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He later joined Queens Park Rangers (QPR) on loan in 2009. QPR signed him permanently in 2010, and he became a key player for them.
After QPR was relegated in 2013, Adel went on loan to Fulham. He also had a loan spell with AC Milan in Italy. In 2015, he signed a long-term deal with Primeira Liga club Benfica in Portugal. Two years later, Benfica loaned him to Genoa in Italy.
Adel first played for the Morocco national team in February 2009. He scored his first international goal the next month. He also played for Morocco in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Contents
Club Career: Adel's Football Journey
Starting Out in France
Adel Taarabt was born in Fez, Morocco. When he was young, his family moved to a small town in France. He began his football career at Lens in 2004. He played 14 matches for their reserve team. He also made one appearance for the main Lens team during the 2006–07 season.
Time at Tottenham Hotspur
At just 17 years old, Adel joined Tottenham Hotspur on loan in January 2007. He hoped to get lots of playing time with the first team. Within two months, he played his first senior game for Spurs. He came on as a substitute in a thrilling 4–3 win against West Ham United.
Tottenham signed Adel permanently in June 2007. He scored his first goal for Spurs in a friendly match. He played six games in the 2007–08 season. However, he didn't get many chances to play in the main team.
Becoming a Star at Queens Park Rangers (QPR)
In March 2009, Adel joined Queens Park Rangers (QPR) on loan. QPR was in the Championship league at the time. He scored his first goal for QPR in a 2–1 win against Bristol City. His loan ended early due to a knee injury.
Adel rejoined QPR for another season-long loan in July 2009. He scored an amazing goal against Preston North End. He dribbled past three players and scored from far away. Tottenham wanted £4.5 million for him, which QPR couldn't afford then.
In 2010, Adel said he regretted joining Tottenham. He felt he would have had more chances to play at Arsenal. He hoped to play for a top Spanish club like Real Madrid or Barcelona.
On 5 August 2010, Adel officially signed a three-year contract with QPR.
2010–11 Season: A Great Year
Adel's move to QPR for about £1 million was a great deal. He scored 19 goals in 44 league games that season. His amazing skills made it hard for opposing teams. He won the Championship Player of the Year award. He was also named in the Championship's best team.
During this season, Adel missed two games due to a family matter. He also had a disagreement with the Morocco national team coach. He initially said he wouldn't play for his country again. However, he later changed his mind and returned to the team.
Adel scored two goals in an away draw against Cardiff City. He also scored the winning goal against the same team at home. This goal helped QPR get back to the top of the Championship.
2011–12 Season: Premier League Debut
The 2011–12 season was Adel's first real chance in the Premier League. There were rumors he might move to clubs like Paris Saint-Germain. This, along with a new captain joining QPR, made him feel a bit unsettled.
He struggled to score goals early in the season. His attitude sometimes caused problems with teammates. He was even taken off at half-time in some games. His coach, Harry Redknapp, was critical of his agents. Redknapp felt they were giving Adel bad advice.
Despite these challenges, Adel improved his performance later in the season. He scored the first goal in QPR's win over Arsenal. He also scored the winning goal against his old club, Tottenham. He received his first red card in English football in that game.
2012–13 Season: Key Player for QPR
On 11 July 2012, Adel signed a new three-year contract with QPR. He scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season against West Ham United. He scored another goal against West Bromwich Albion.
In December, he scored both goals in QPR's first win of the season against Fulham. His manager, Harry Redknapp, called it "one of the all-time great performances." In January 2013, Adel played as a striker against Chelsea. He helped set up the only goal in a 1–0 win.
Loan Spells: Fulham and AC Milan
Adel joined Fulham on a season-long loan in August 2013. He played his first game for Fulham against Sunderland. He scored his first goal for the club in a League Cup match against Burton Albion.
On 30 January 2014, Adel moved to AC Milan in Italy on loan. He scored his first goal for Milan just eight minutes into his debut. He dribbled across the pitch and scored from outside the box. He also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
Back to QPR and Benfica Move
Adel returned to QPR in the summer of 2014. However, he didn't play much. His manager, Harry Redknapp, said he wasn't fit enough. Adel disagreed, saying Redknapp was "making excuses."
On 12 June 2015, Adel signed a five-year contract with Portuguese champions Benfica. The transfer fee was €4 million. He was loaned to Genoa in Italy from 2017 to 2018.
After playing for Benfica's reserve team, Adel returned to the first team in February 2019. He made his debut on 30 March 2019. In the 2019–20 season, he became a regular starter for Benfica. He even played in a new position as a defensive midfielder. In September 2022, his contract with Benfica ended.
Joining Al-Nasr SC
On 25 September 2022, Adel Taarabt joined the Emirati club Al-Nasr SC.
International Career: Playing for Morocco
Adel played for France at youth levels (under-16, under-17, and under-18). But he chose to play for Morocco at the senior level. He felt it was the right time when he got the chance.
He played his first international match for Morocco in February 2009. It was a friendly game against the Czech Republic. He scored his first international goal in a friendly 2–0 win against Angola in March 2009.
In September 2009, he scored his first goal in a competitive international match. This was against Togo in a World Cup qualifier.
In June 2011, Adel decided to stop playing for Morocco. This was after he was left on the bench for a match. However, he changed his mind a few months later. He returned in October 2011 and scored a winning free-kick. This goal helped Morocco qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
After five years away, Adel was called back to the national team in September 2019. He played as a substitute in a friendly match. A few days later, he started a game and helped set up the only goal.
Personal Life
Adel Taarabt says his parents helped him stay connected to his religion. His father also encouraged him to become a professional footballer.
Honours
Tottenham Hotspur
- Football League Cup: 2007–08; runner-up: 2008–09
Queens Park Rangers
- Football League Championship: 2010–11
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2018–19
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2019
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 Championship
- Football League Championship Player of the Month: August 2010
- Football League Player of the Year: 2010–11
- Football League top assist provider: 2010–11
- UAE President's Cup Top scorer: 2023–24
See Also
In Spanish: Adel Taarabt para niños
