Achraf Abada #3

Profile

A real late bloomer, Abada made his international breakthrough at the age of 26. For much of his career the centre-back went under the radar, playing in Algeria for MC El Eulma and ASO Chlef, but he really turned heads with his displays at last year’s Fifa Arab Cup in Qatar, impressing with his speed, athleticism and relentless aggression. In January he signed for USM Alger on a lucrative long-term deal, with the deal featuring a big sell-on clause and another clause reportedly stipulating that his new club would fund his old club’s pre-season training camp this summer if Abada made the World Cup squad. Good news for ASO Chlef, then. There are still areas for improvement when it comes to playing with the ball at his feet, but his defensive instincts alone earned him his call-up this summer.

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