Mehdi Benatia
Encyclopedia
Mehdi Benatia
Mehdi Benatia (born 17 April 1987 in Évry, Essonne, France
) is a Moroccan
football defender
, who plays for Italian Serie A
side Udinese
.
father and an Algeria
n mother and opted to play for Morocco national football team
.
signed the Moroccan defender from French Ligue 2
club Clermont
, however he joined the Italian side in the following summer.
at the U-18 level but later decided to represent Morocco U-20
.
On 19 November 2008, he played his first international match with Morocco
, a friendly against Zambia
at Mohamed V Stadium
. He replaced Youssef Rabeh
in second half while Morocco had the advantage of three goals to zero.
On 7 June 2009, Benatia played his first official match against Cameroon
in Yaounde
and that counts for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
.
On 4 June 2011, Benatia scored his first goal for the national team, in a 4–0 African Nations Cup Qualifier over their arch-rivals Algeria
.
Mehdi Benatia (born 17 April 1987 in Évry, Essonne, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
football defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, who plays for Italian Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
side Udinese
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
.
Early life
He was born to a MoroccanMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
father and an Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n mother and opted to play for Morocco national football team
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
.
Career
On 3 February 2010 Udinese CalcioUdinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
signed the Moroccan defender from French Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
club Clermont
Clermont Foot
Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 is a French association football club based in Clermont-Ferrand. The first incarnation of the club was formed in 1911 and the current club was created in 1990 as a result of a merger...
, however he joined the Italian side in the following summer.
International career
Benatia represented FranceFrance national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
at the U-18 level but later decided to represent Morocco U-20
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
.
On 19 November 2008, he played his first international match with Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
, a friendly against Zambia
Zambia national football team
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of...
at Mohamed V Stadium
Stade Mohamed V
Stade Mohamed V is part of a big athletic complex situated in the heart of the city of Casablanca, Morocco, in the western part of Maarif district...
. He replaced Youssef Rabeh
Youssef Rabeh
Youssef Rabeh is a Moroccan football player, who is currently playing for Wydad Casablanca.-Career:He is born in the capital of the Morocco Rabat and started his career in local team FUS de Rabat....
in second half while Morocco had the advantage of three goals to zero.
On 7 June 2009, Benatia played his first official match against Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
in Yaounde
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
and that counts for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CAF Third Round
This page provides the summaries of the CAF Third Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 20 qualifiers were split into 5 groups of four, in the draw held on 22 October 2008 in Zürich, Switzerland...
.
On 4 June 2011, Benatia scored his first goal for the national team, in a 4–0 African Nations Cup Qualifier over their arch-rivals Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
.