‪Islam Slimani‬
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 07/14

Personal information
Date of birth:
18 June 1988 
Place of birth:
Algiers, Algeria
Height:
1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position:
Striker

Club information
Current team:
Sporting CP
Number:
9

Youth career

WB Aïn Benian

Senior career*

WB Aïn Benian:
2007-2008

JSM Chéraga:
2008-2009
22x apps / 18x goals

CR Belouizdad:
2009-2013
96x apps / 32x goals

Sporting CP:
2013-2016
82x apps / 48x goals

National team

Algeria:
2012-
24x apps / 12x goals

Algeria A':
2013
1x apps / 1x goals

* (appearances national team caps and goals correct as of 26 June 2014

Islam Slimani, born 18 June 1988, is an Algerian footballer who plays as a striker for Portuguese Primeira Liga side Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Algeria national team.

An Algerian international, Slimani made his international debut in 2012.

As of June 2014, has won 20 international caps and scored 11 goals.

 

Club career

In May 2009, Slimani joined CR Belouizdad from JSM Chéraga for a transfer fee of 800,000 Algerian dinars, signing a two year contract.

In August, he made his official debut for the club as a starter against MC Oran in the first week of the 2009–10 Algerian Championnat National.

He finished his first season with Belouizdad with 8 goals in 30 games.

On May 17, 2011, Slimani scored four goals in a league game against JS Kabylie, leading CR Belouizdad to an impressive 7:1 win. 

In July 2011, with his contract expired and several French clubs such as Nice and Le Havre showing interest in signing him, Slimani decided to sign a two year extension with CR Belouizdad.

On the 6th August 2013 Slimani joined Sporting Clube Portugal. 

Slimani started the 2013-2014 season as a substitute being used as a secret weapon and scoring vital goals from the bench. 

But, due to the lack of form of Fredy Montero, he became a starter and scored 4 goals in 4 matches in the early March of 2014 against Rio Ave, SC Braga, Vitória de Setubal and in the Classic against Porto (Sporting won 1:0). 

On December 2013 he was considered the best Algerian footballer of the year as he won the Algerian golden ball.

International career

In October 2009, Slimani was called up by Abdelhak Benchikha for the first time to the Algerian A' National Team for a week long training camp in Algiers.

In March 2010, Slimani was called up again, this time for a 2011 African Nations Championship qualifier against Libya as a replacement for his injured CR Belouizdad teammate Youcef Saïbi.

In May 2012, Slimani was called up for the first time to the Algeria national team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Rwanda, and the return leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia.

On May 26, he made his debut, coming as a substitute at half-time in a friendly against Niger. 

A week later, on June 2, Slimani scored his first international goal for Algeria, netting the third goal in the 4:0 win over Rwanda in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

He followed that up with another goal against Mali in the next game, and then scored another two goals in the following against Gambia.

On 22 June 2014, Slimani scored a the opening goal for Les Fennecs in a 4:2 2014 FIFA World Cup group match against South Korea. 

He also made an assist for the team's third goal by passing the ball to Abdelmoumene Djabou.

On 26 June 2014, Slimani scored with a header in Algeria's 1:1 draw with Russia, helping the nation qualify for the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1982.