Latest news with #ChemsdineTalbi
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Moroccan Trio Shortlisted for Golden Boy 2025
The race for the 2025 Golden Boy award is well underway, and three young Moroccan players have made the first cut in the 100-man shortlist. Eliesse Ben Seghir and Chemsdine Talbi, both full Morocco internationals, are joined by Franco-Moroccan prospect Ayyoub Bouaddi as nominees for the prestigious award, which recognizes the best under-21 player in Europe each year. Ben Seghir, 20, enjoyed a solid season with AS Monaco, scoring nine goals and providing four assists. Talbi, also 20, has been a standout performer for Club Brugge in Belgium. With seven goals and four assists to his name, including key contributions in the Champions League, he's now attracting interest from bigger clubs across the continent, notably German side RB Leipzig. Bouaddi is the youngest of the Moroccan trio. The 17-year-old midfielder has already broken into the first team at Lille and drew widespread attention after running the show in a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage. He hasn't committed to Morocco or France at the international level just yet. While the Moroccan players are turning heads, it's Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí who currently leads the pack. The 18-year-old has had a breakout season, making 56 appearances across all competitions and helping Barça to a domestic treble under Hansi Flick. His calmness on the ball and defensive maturity have earned him a rating of 95.4 in the Football Benchmark index, putting him at the top of the official rankings. Lamine Yamal, last year's winner, sits at number one on the list with a score of 97.7, but since no player can win the award twice, his name is only there for reference. Paris Saint-Germain's Désiré Doué ranks third and is another strong candidate after a superb season, after winning the Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League. The shortlist was published this week by Tuttosport , the Italian outlet that created the Golden Boy award back in 2003. The final winner will be announced in December. Tags: Ayyoub BouaddiChemsdine Talbieliesse ben seghirGolden Boy award
Morocco World
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Talbi Weighs Options as Leipzig Step Up Pursuit
Morocco international Chemsdine Talbi is attracting renewed interest from RB Leipzig, with the Club Brugge winger emerging as a key target ahead of the summer transfer window. The 20-year-old, who chose to represent Morocco over his native Belgium, has enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Belgian side, making 44 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing five assists. His performances have sparked interest from clubs across Europe and the Middle East. While earlier reports claimed Brugge were seeking €20m for Talbi, a spokesperson for his agency, YOU FIRST, has rejected that valuation, calling it inaccurate. But demand for the right winger remains strong, with Leipzig understood to be leading the race. The German club are undergoing a squad rebuild following a disappointing season, and Talbi is seen as part of a new wave of attacking reinforcements. Sources close to the player suggest he is open to the move. Talbi, who was called up to Morocco's senior squad for their recent international camp last March, missed out on playing time due to injury but remains in the plans of national team coach Walid Regragui. He is under contract with Club Brugge until June 2027, putting the Belgian side in a strong position during negotiations. Tags: Chemsdine TalbiClub BruggeLeipzigMorocco
Ya Biladi
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
«A boy's dream come true»: Chemsdine Talbi excited ahead of debut with Morocco team
Moroccan-Belgian Club Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi couldn't hide his excitement after being called up to the Moroccan national team for the first time. The 19-year-old footballer, who announced his decision to play for Morocco internationally just earlier in March, said he is thrilled with his selection. «A boy's dream come true, I am very happy to be here with some great players», he told Sporza. «I learn every day and try to integrate myself step by step into this new team and get to know all the players», the Club Brugge talent said. «I want to win as many titles as possible with this team. My goal is to make all Moroccans proud and happy», said Talbi. Talbi could soon make his debut for the Moroccan national team. Morocco now has two World Cup qualifying matches on the program. The Atlas Lions will play against the Niger national team on Friday, March 21, 2025, and against Tanzania on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Talbi is one of the young new talents summoned by coach Walid Regragui. Unveiled last week, the list features Chemsdine Talbi as well as names called up for the first time, including Omar El Hilali from Espanyol in Spain, Bilal Nadir from Olympique Marseille in France, and Hamza Igamane from Rangers in Scotland.
Morocco World
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Chemsdine Talbi: ‘A Childhood Dream Come True'
Chemsdine Talbi is on cloud nine after receiving his first call-up for Morocco's senior national team—calling it a 'childhood dream come true'. The 19-year-old midfielder couldn't hide his joy. 'I'm extremely happy. My family and everyone congratulated me. It's a childhood dream come true. I'm thrilled to be here with top players and to represent my national team, Morocco,' Talbi told the official website of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). The young FC Brugge talent, who has been following the Atlas Lions for years, is eager to integrate into the squad. 'I know many players here, and every day I'm getting to know everyone more. I used to watch the national team's matches, and the infrastructure here is incredible. I'm happy to be part of it,' he added. Looking ahead, Talbi has set ambitious goals for his international career. 'My ambition is to win as many titles as possible with the national team and make Moroccan fans extremely proud. I thank them for the amazing reception they've given me.' Morocco has won a tug-of-war with Belgium to secure the budding winger. Talbi played for the Red Devils in the youth setup but switched allegiance to play for Morocco's senior squad. Losing Talbi was not an easy pill to swallow for the Belgium football federation which has piled pressure on football bosses in the country to keep hold of dual-nationality talents. Kevin Vermeulen, Belgium's Head of Talent, has been shown the door as a result of this decision amid a major shake-up to the department. Vermeulen, who worked with Talbi at RSC Anderlecht, had tried to lure him to the club but played no part in his final decision to ditch Belgium. Sports director Vincent Mannaert didn't hide his frustration. 'From now on, we move forward with players who fully commit to Belgium,' he said. 'If they choose elsewhere, fine — but we won't waste time chasing them.' Talbi picked Morocco for showing unwavering support during his injury woes – while Belgium dragged its feet. Insiders say Morocco's thrilling World Cup run and their fierce loyalty to players sealed the deal for him. During this international break, Talbi is in camp with the Moroccan squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Tanzania, scheduled for Friday and Tuesday in Oujda. Tags: Atlas LionsChemsdine TalbiFC BruggeFRMFMoroccoWalid Regragui
The National
12-03-2025
- Sport
- The National
Moroccan teen Chemsdine Talbi already up to speed in Uefa Champions League for Club Brugge
Chemsdine Talbi moves at pace. Faster, according to the speed guns in use at Uefa Champions League matches this season, than Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies, to cite a pair of the game's most celebrated speedsters. Among the five elite footballers who have registered speeds above 36km/h are those you would expect to see at the top of the list: Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi. The young winger Talbi comes into rankings just behind them, sixth most rapid of any player across the 36 clubs involved in the elite competition since September. And Talbi is only 19. He'll be likely be moving even faster in the years to come. Some of these jet-heeled runs have been key to moving Talbi's club, Brugge, further than at any time this century in the Champions League, and although the 3-1 deficit they take into Wednesday's second leg of their last-16 tie at Aston Villa looks a steep hurdle to overcome, they're a side capable of another upstart ambush. They defeated Villa in the league phase and were holding them at 1-1 until into the last ten minutes of last week's first leg. They defied expectation in the previous round, too, a coming-of-age 180 minutes for the teenaged Talbi. Up against fancied Atalanta, he had the presence of mind – and the burst of acceleration – to steal possession and send in the low cross that gave Brugge their early advantage in the tie. Come the second leg, in Italy, he had the poise to take stock and tee up the shot that increased the aggregate lead to 3-1. Talbi's second goal that night, pouncing on a ricochet, made it 4-1 on the way to a 5-2 victory across the two legs. He was named man of the match. There's a strong expectation that by the end of this week, the revelation player of the Champions League's knockouts will receive his first senior international call-up. Talbi has moved fast to this threshold, too. He is a dual national, who has been capped at various age-group levels for his native Belgium, but he last week committed his future to Morocco. The country of his paternal heritage persuaded Talbi that for all the competition for places in the Atlas Lions' set-up from talents in his position, his international career looked brighter if viewed from North Africa. The large Moroccan diaspora in Belgium includes several footballers who have made the same decision. The PSV Eindhoven forward Ismael Saibari, born in Spain but brought up in Belgium, felt drawn to represent Morocco, land of his parents, from a very young age. Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss and Anass Zaroury, of Lens, both represented Belgium at youth level, and found themselves at the centre of a tug-of-war in the lead up to the last World Cup finals. They opted to go to Qatar 2022 with Morocco in spite of urgent Belgian lobbying for them to commit to their country of birth. Morocco then beat Belgium in the tournament on the way to reaching a historic semi-final. Talbi has been strongly courted by the Belgians. According to Vincent Mannaert, the new technical director of the Belgian Federation and formerly an executive at Brugge, 'we tried as best we could to present the case for Belgium, but it was hard to change his mind'. Talbi, it is understood, felt especially prized by the Morocco Federation when, last season, his upwards career trajectory was interrupted by a serious ligament injury. The concern and contact from Morocco during his six month layoff was far more conspicuous than any from the Belgian Federation. The rest of the argument was straightforward: Morocco is an exciting project to be part of. They will host the Africa Cup of Nations in December, and co-host the 2030 World Cup, by when Talbi will have just turned 25. His challenge between now and then will be to make one of the wing positions in the starting XI his own. Morocco manager Walid Regragui has numerous options for the wide attacking roles, from the precocious – Eliesse Ben Seghir of Monaco or Villarreal's Ilias Akhomach – to the medalled – Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga champion Amine Adli – and the proven, like Real Betis's Abde Ezzalzouli, Zakaria Aboukhlal at Toulouse and Osame Sahraoui at Lille. All of those players are of an age to be targeting a major role at the next three World Cups. That would not be the case for, say, Hakim Ziyech, the masterly passer from the right of midfield for Morocco through his 64 caps. He turns 32 next week and is at a crossroads. Following a meeting with Regragui in Qatar, Ziyech's new base after joining Al Duhail from Galatasaray in January, he is likely to be rested from the squad Regragui names on Friday to play Niger and Tanzania in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. This is so that Ziyech can focus on regaining fitness and form: He played little football for Galatasaray through December and January. Ziyech's creative responsibilities for Morocco are now more easily shared than they were two and half years ago, when Regragui persuaded the former Ajax and Chelsea player to reverse an international 'retirement', provoked by the player's falling out with predecessor coach Vahid Halilhodzic. Brahim Diaz, of Real Madrid, has become a leader of the attack. Brahim was a year ago persuaded to opt for Morocco ahead of his native Spain, and his start to his Atlas Lions career has been stunning: seven goals and two assists operating from just behind the forward line in six competitive internationals. France-born Ben Seghir, 20, has also taken to senior international football with relish. Since his first call-up last March he has scored three goals and set up another two. If Talbi were to hit the ground running even half as fast, it would be in keeping with his rapid climbing trajectory. A year ago, he had never played a senior match in a Uefa competition. He's now the principal reason Brugge are still in the hunt for a spot in the Champions League's last eight. 'An undeniable talent,' said his Brugge teammate Brandon Mechele, 'and he's an excellent team player besides all his ability in taking on opponents, one-on-one. And of course there's his speed.' 'His speed is phenomenal,' added Simon Mignolet, the Brugge and Belgium goalkeeper. 'It's his best asset. But he plays with commitment to the other parts of his game as a winger, which is vital, and he's a hard worker. You see it when he practices.'
