Rafik Saïfi

Rafik Saïfi
Personal information
Full nameRafik Saïfi
Date of birth(1975-02-07) February 7, 1975 (age 39)
Place of birthAlgiers, Algeria
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positionForward / attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
Amiens SC
Number13
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1993–1994CM Bordj El Kiffan18(31)
1994–1995IRB Sougueur18(27)
1995–1996IB Khémis El Khechna18(19)
1996–1999MC Alger29(20)
1999–2004Troyes110(19)
2004–2005Istres35(4)
2005–2006Ajaccio26(2)
2006–2009Lorient95(26)
2009–2010Al Khor10(2)
2010→ Istres (loan)13(2)
2010–Amiens SC25(5)
National team‡
1998–2010Algeria64(18)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 30 September 2011 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:00, 30 September 2011 (UTC)

Rafik Saïfi (Arabic: رفيق صايفي‎; born February 7, 1975 in Algiers) is an Algerian professional football player who is currently playing for Amiens SC in the Championnat National.

Characteristics

A constant threat in the opposing penalty area, the evergreen goalscorer possesses skill in abundance and exhibits real passion when defending the colours of his country.

Career

Saifi began his football career at CM Bordj El Kifane. It was there where he got a name for himself as a goal machine at the age of 17. He went on to represent two other small teams IRB Sougueur and IB Khémis El Khechna before making his big move to MC Alger in his home city.[1] There he helped the team capture the Algerian league title before moved to France in 1999 at the age of 24 to join Troyes AC. He stayed with Troyes for five seasons, including the 2003-04 season after their relegation to Ligue 2.[2] Moving back into Ligue 1 with a transfer to newly promoted FC Istres in 2004, Saïfi played 35 matches before leaving following the club's relegation. In 2005 he joined AC Ajaccio, also newly promoted, and suffered a third relegation in four years.Saïfi moved to FC Lorient, yet another newly promoted club, in the summer of 2006. Rafik started the 2007-2008 campaign quickly scoring 4 goals in 4 games and signed than on 8 August 2009 a contract with Al Khor.[3]

Al Khor SC

On August 9, 2009, Saïfi joined Al-Khor on a one-year contract with the club paying a transfer of fee of €500,000 to FC Lorient.[4] Saïfi scored his first goal for the club on his league debut in a match against Al-Gharafa on September 12, 2009.[5] On October 22, 2009, he scored his second league goal, this time against Al-Kharitiyath.

FC Istres

On January 23, 2010, it was announced that Saïfi would be loaned out to Ligue 2 side FC Istres until the end of the season.[6] The move was made official on February 2, 2010.[7]

On November 4, 2010, Saïfi signed a contract with Amiens SC.[8]

International career

Saïfi made his debut for the Algerian National Team on June 5, 1998, in a friendly against Bulgaria, coming on as a substitute in the 65th minute.[9] On February 28, 1999, he scored his first international goal in the 2000 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia which ended as 1-1 draw.[10] He scored his second goal in the following game, a 4-1 win in the return leg against Liberia.[11]

Saïfi was called up by Algeria head coach Nasser Sandjak to the Algerian National Team that was taking part in the 2000 African Cup of Nations in Ghana and Nigeria. In the first game against DR Congo, Saïfi started the game and was subbed off in the 70th minute, with the game ending in a goalless draw.[12] In the second group game against Gabon, Saïfi was left out of the starting line-up and was a substitute on the bench but he did take part as he came on in the 77th minute, replacing his Troyes AC teammate Farid Ghazi.[13] Algeria won the game 3-1. He did not take part in the final group game against South Africa. In the quarter-final against Cameroon, Saïfi was left on the bench again but came on in the 51st minute with Algeria losing 2-0.[14] The team managed to pull a goal back in the 90th minute but lost the game 2-1.

Saïfi was a member of the Algerian team that participated in the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali and started all three group games against Nigeria, Liberia and hosts Mali. Despite the fact that Algeria failed to make it out of the group stage, Saïfi put in a "best eleven" performance and was included in the team of the tournament.[15]

Saïfi was made his third trip to the African Cup after being included by Algeria manager Rabah Saadane in the team list for the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola. He started in Algeria's first game against Malawi, a 3-0 loss, but was subbed off in the 63rd minute by Abdelmalek Ziaya. He started the second game against Mali, a 1-0 win, on the bench and came on in the 80th minute for Abdelkader Ghezzal.[16]

After the world cup 2010, he clearly announced through the Tunisian TV channel "Nessma", that he was done with his international career.

Assault incident

After a disappointing campaign by Algeria in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in which the team received much domestic criticism, [17] failing to make it beyond the group stage, a controversial incident occurred at the end of the USA-Algeria game in which the USA secured victory in the last minute.[17] Saïfi spotted journalist Asma Halimi, a female reporter who had written an article criticizing him in the newspaper Competition.[17] Saïfi and the journalist had previously been in a dispute because the journalist had translated and published an interview Saïfi had given.[18] He slapped her across the face; Halini responded by striking him back in the face, catching her nail on his lip.[17] Halimi has stated she is filing a complaint about Saïfi with governing body FIFA and the Algerian FA.[17]

National team statistics

[19]

Algeria national team
YearAppsGoals
199830
199952
2000104
200153
200230
200330
200430
200542
200621
200773
200851
200972
201070
Total6418

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.February 28, 1999Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, LiberiaLiberia
1 – 0
1 – 1
2000 African Cup of Nations qualification
2.April 9, 1999Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba, AlgeriaLiberia
3 – 0
4 – 1
2000 African Cup of Nations qualification
3.October 11, 2000Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba, AlgeriaCape Verde
2 – 0
2 – 0
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.June 3, 2000Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba, AlgeriaGuinea
1 – 0
4 – 0
Friendly match
5.
2 – 0
6.June 16, 2000Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba, AlgeriaSenegal
1 – 1
1 – 1
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
7.June 1, 2001Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba, AlgeriaAngola
1 – 0
3 – 2
2002 African Cup of Nations qualification
8.
2 – 1
9.December 6, 2001Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers, AlgeriaGhana
1 – 1
1 – 1
Friendly match
10.February 9, 2005Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers, AlgeriaBurkina Faso
1 – 0
3 – 0
Friendly match
11.
2 – 0
12.November 11, 2006Luynes, Aix-en-Provence, FranceBurkina Faso
1 – 2
1 – 2
Friendly match
13.February 7, 2007Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers, AlgeriaLibya
1 – 1
2 – 1
Friendly match
14.June 2, 2007Estádio da Várzea, Praia, Cape VerdeCape Verde
2 – 1
2 – 2
2008 African Cup of Nations qualification
15.September 9, 2007Independence Stadium, Bakau, GambiaGambia
1 – 0
1 – 2
2008 African Cup of Nations qualification
16.September 5, 2008Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida, AlgeriaSenegal
2 – 1
3 – 2
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
17.June 20, 2009Independence Stadium, Chililabombwe, ZambiaZambia
2 – 0
0 – 2
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
18.September 6, 2009Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida, AlgeriaZambia
1 – 0
1 – 0
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

Honours

Club

  • MC Alger
    • Algerian Championnat National
      • Winner: 1998-99

Individual

  • DZFoot d'Or – 2007
  • DZFoot d'Or – 2008
  • Algerian Ballon d’Or (Ballon d’Or El Haddaf)

References

  1. Jump up ^ http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/ southafrica2010/players/player=177512 /profile.html
  2. Jump up ^ Rafik Saïfi French league stats at LFP.fr (French)
  3. Jump up ^ Transfert DZ 2009/2010
  4. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/news-4651/trans ferts-rafik-saifi-a-al-khor-qatar/
  5. Jump up ^ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?playe r=18135&region=-11
  6. Jump up ^ http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves 2010/20100123_110356_saifi-revient-a- istres.html
  7. Jump up ^ http://www.fcistres.com/actu-922-saif i-est-de-retour.html
  8. Jump up ^ Signature de Rafik Saïfi
  9. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-1473.php
  10. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-1127.php
  11. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-1126.php
  12. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-758.php
  13. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-759.php
  14. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-761.php
  15. Jump up ^ Duret, Sébastien (2002-02-12). "African Nations Cup 2002 - Final Tournament Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
  16. Jump up ^ http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-4849.php
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Algerian slaps female reporter". Eurosport. Retrieved June 24, 2010. 
  18. Jump up ^ "Saifi 'slapped female journalist'". BBC News. June 24, 2010. 
  19. Jump up ^ Rafik Saïfi at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

 
Algeria squads
Algeria squad – 2000 Africa Cup of Nations
  • 1 Benabdellah
  • 2 Mamouni
  • 3 Benhamlat
  • 4 Amrouche
  • 5 Zeghdoud
  • 6 Amaouche
  • 7 Kraouche
  • 8 Dziri
  • 9 Ghazi
  • 10 Tasfaout
  • 11 Moussouni
  • 12 Slatni
  • 13 Haddou
  • 14 Badji
  • 15 Saïfi
  • 16 Hamened
  • 17 Mezouar
  • 18 Saïb
  • 19 Meçabih
  • 20 Meftah
  • 21 Merakchi
  • 22 Bougherara
  • Coach: Sandjak
Algeria squad – 2002 African Cup of Nations
  • 1 Gaouaoui
  • 2 Slatni
  • 3 Haddou
  • 4 Kraouche
  • 5 Zeghdoud
  • 6 Mansouri
  • 7 Belbey
  • 8 Dziri
  • 9 Ghazi
  • 10 Tasfaout
  • 11 Kherkhache
  • 12 Samadi
  • 13 Zafour
  • 14 Bounekdja
  • 15 Akrour
  • 16 Bendahmane
  • 17 Raho
  • 18 Saïfi
  • 19 Diss
  • 20 Meftah
  • 21 Bradja
  • 22 Abdouni
  • Coach: Madjer
Algeria squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Fourth Place
Algeria squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup
Amiens SC – current squad
  • 1 L'Hostis
  • 3 Baudry
  • 5 Hautcœur
  • 6 Beynié
  • 7 Fall
  • 8 Moyo
  • 9 Koubemba
  • 10 Marega
  • 11 Poyet
  • 12 Labhiri
  • 13 Dia
  • 14 Pouye
  • 15 Paul
  • 16 Blin
  • 17 Youssouf
  • 18 Lybohy (c)
  • 19 El Hajjam
  • 20 Boukaka
  • 21 Sanches
  • 22 Seka
  • 23 Burel
  • 24 Vignaud
  • 25 Lefort
  • 26 Pierre-Charles
  • 30 Diop
  • 35 Bourbier
  • 36 M'baye
  • 37 Slidja
  • Manager: Echouafni

Source :
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