Omar Sahnoun
Encyclopedia
Omar Sahnoun was a French
professional footballer who played as a midfielder
.
, Sahnoun's Algeria
n family settled in Beauvais
, France
in 1962. Ten years later, at only 17, he would make his professional debuts with FC Nantes, under Jean Vincent. A talented offensive player, he played however intermittenly for the club, due to heart
problems, only posting two productive seasons in seven years, especially 1976–77, where he scored 15 times in 32 matches, as the Pays de la Loire
club won the fourth Ligue 1
title in its history.
Sahnoun played six times for the French national team
, his debut coming on 23 February 1977 in a friendly with West Germany
, in Paris
. At the end of the year, he suffered a cardiac alert which cause him to put his career on hold for a few months; subsequently, he would not make the list for the 1978 FIFA World Cup
in Argentina
.
After having returned to active, Sahnoun played one year for FC Girondins de Bordeaux
, being regularly used in a team that finished in sixth position. On May 21, 1980, three months shy of his 25th birthday, during club training, he died from a heart attack
.
, was also a footballer, and a midfielder. He too played for Bordeaux during his professional career, but also represented several other clubs both at home and abroad.
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...
professional footballer who played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Football career
The son of a harkiHarki
Harki is the generic term for Muslim Algerians who served as auxiliaries in the French Army during the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962...
, Sahnoun's 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 family settled in Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, 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...
in 1962. Ten years later, at only 17, he would make his professional debuts with FC Nantes, under Jean Vincent. A talented offensive player, he played however intermittenly for the club, due to heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
problems, only posting two productive seasons in seven years, especially 1976–77, where he scored 15 times in 32 matches, as the Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...
club won the fourth Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
title in its history.
Sahnoun played six times for the French national team
France 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...
, his debut coming on 23 February 1977 in a friendly with West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. At the end of the year, he suffered a cardiac alert which cause him to put his career on hold for a few months; subsequently, he would not make the list for the 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
After having returned to active, Sahnoun played one year for FC Girondins de Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
, being regularly used in a team that finished in sixth position. On May 21, 1980, three months shy of his 25th birthday, during club training, he died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
Personal
Sahnoun's son, NicolasNicolas Sahnoun
Nicolas Sahnoun is a French footballer of Algerian descent, who plays as a midfielder.-Football career:Sahnoun emerged through local FC Girondins de Bordeaux's youth ranks, but appeared sparingly for its first team during his spell as a senior, also being loaned twice, to Fulham in England, which...
, was also a footballer, and a midfielder. He too played for Bordeaux during his professional career, but also represented several other clubs both at home and abroad.