Hatem Trabelsi facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Hatem Trabelsi | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 January 1977 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ariana, Tunisia | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Right-back | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | CS Sfaxien | 103 | (13) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2006 | Ajax | 99 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Manchester City | 20 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 222 | (16) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2006 | Tunisia | 66 | (1) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Hatem Trabelsi, born on January 25, 1977, is a famous former footballer from Tunisia. He was a skilled right-back player. Hatem played for big clubs like CS Sfaxien, Ajax, and Manchester City. He also proudly represented his home country, Tunisia, in three World Cups. He played 66 games for his national team before he stopped playing international football in 2006.
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Hatem Trabelsi's Club Journey
Hatem Trabelsi was born in Ariana, Tunisia. He grew up in a city called Sfax. His football journey began at his hometown club, Sfaxien. When he first started, he played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals.
However, his team had a problem with many players getting injured. This led to Hatem playing as a right-back to help out. He did so well in this new position that he decided to become a defender permanently. He became the team's regular right-back.
Playing in Europe with Ajax
In 2001, Hatem moved to Europe to play for the Dutch club Ajax. This was a big step in his career. Ajax is a very well-known team.
In 2003, there was a disagreement about his contract with Ajax. This caused some problems, but Hatem continued to play for the club.
Before the 2004 football season, there was a plan for Hatem to join the English team Arsenal. Ajax and Arsenal even agreed on a transfer fee of about £4 million. It seemed like he would definitely join Arsenal. Some video games even showed him playing for Arsenal!
But, Hatem and Arsenal could not agree on his pay. So, the deal did not happen. Hatem went back to Ajax and signed a new two-year contract with them.
Time at Manchester City
In 2006, Hatem Trabelsi moved to England. He joined Manchester City for free on August 10. He had some injuries and issues with his work permit. This meant he could not play his first game until a month later. His debut was on September 11, when he came on as a substitute against Reading.
Hatem scored his first goal for Manchester City against their big rivals, Manchester United. He shot the ball with his left foot and it went past the goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar. Even though Hatem scored, Manchester City lost that game 3-1.
Later, Hatem started to play less often. Other players like Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha took his place as right-back. Hatem did not play any games after March that season. He left Manchester City when the season ended.
In November 2007, Hatem was close to signing a big contract with a team in Saudi Arabia called Al Hilal. The deal was for about $1 million for one year. However, this deal also did not happen in the end.
Hatem Trabelsi's International Career
Hatem Trabelsi first played for the Tunisia national team in May 1998. This was just before the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was a key player for his country.
He played in all of Tunisia's games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 2004 African Nations Cup. Tunisia won this important tournament, which was a huge achievement!
After Tunisia was knocked out of the 2006 World Cup, Hatem decided to stop playing for his national team. He was 29 years old at the time. He had played 61 games for Tunisia and scored one goal. His only goal for the national team was in 2006, during a friendly match against Ghana.
Hatem Trabelsi's Playing Style
Before the 2006 World Cup, Hatem Trabelsi was seen as Tunisia's best player. People often said his best qualities were his speed and how quickly he could move. He was very agile on the field. Sometimes, people wondered about his focus during games, but his talent was clear.
Hatem Trabelsi's Achievements
Hatem Trabelsi won many awards and trophies during his football career.
Club Trophies
CS Sfaxien
- CAF Cup: 1998
- Arab Club Champions Cup: 2000
Ajax
- Eredivisie (Dutch League): 2001–02, 2003–04
- KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 2001–02, 2005–06
- Johan Cruyff Shield (Dutch Super Cup): 2002, 2005
International Trophies
Tunisia
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2004
Individual Awards
- Officer of the National Order of Merit of Tunisia: 2003
See also
In Spanish: Hatem Trabelsi para niños
