Mohamed Amine Amoura #18

Profile

It took a 19-year-old Amoura just a few minutes to announce himself in his senior debut for ES Setif, scoring twice in the derby against arch-rivals CA Bordj Bou Arreridj. The double set the tone for a career defined by explosiveness. From ES Setif to Lugano to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and now at Wolfsburg, he has consistently risen to new challenges whether deployed on the left wing or as a false nine, with his acceleration and directness making him a constant threat. During the World Cup qualifiers Amoura led the African scoring charts with 10 goals and is now widely regarded as Algeria’s most decisive attacking weapon. In February, though, he made negative headlines when he mocked a Congolese supporter known for spending matches at the Africa Cup of Nations standing still with his right arm raised in the style of a famous statue of the country’s revered first leader Patrice Lumumba. Amoura, who mimicked the fan then fell to the ground as though the statue had been toppled, later apologised online: "I wasn't aware of what the person or symbol in the stands represented. I simply wanted to joke around, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent or desire to provoke anyone.”

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