Farès Chaïbi #10

Profile

Terraillon, on the outskirts of Lyon, is probably best known for producing Karim Benzema. But when I visited the suburb before the 2022 Champions League final, locals wanted to talk instead about a youngster at Toulouse named Farès Chaïbi. “He’s the full package and wants to play for Algeria,” a teenager named Younes told me. A few months later, Chaïbi won Ligue 1 Rookie of the Year, reflecting his eight goals in 41 appearances across all competitions. That debut season earned him a move to Eintracht Frankfurt, but in Germany he has blown hot and cold. A broad-shouldered midfielder capable of playing on the wing or through the middle in a box-to-box role, his set-piece delivery from corners and free-kicks makes him particularly valuable to Algeria; the side has steadily improved in that area under Vladimir Petkovic.

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