Hatem Ben Arfa
French footballer (born 1987)
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Key Takeaways
- Hatem Ben Arfa (Arabic: حاتم بن عرفة , French pronunciation: [atɛm bɛnaʁfa] ; born 7 March 1987) is a French former professional footballer who played as a winger and attacking midfielder.
- He was once described as "one of the best-rated talents in France", but was also criticised by the media and players alike for lacking discipline.
- In 1999, he was selected to attend the Clairefontaine academy.
- In his early career at Lyon, he played as a centre forward but moved into a striker role during the 2007–08 season.
- With Marseille, he won the 2009–10 league title, his fifth overall, as well as the Coupe de la Ligue in 2010.
Hatem Ben Arfa (Arabic: حاتم بن عرفة, French pronunciation: [atɛm bɛnaʁfa]; born 7 March 1987) is a French former professional footballer who played as a winger and attacking midfielder. Known for his flair and dribbling ability, Ben Arfa is regarded as a fan favourite with a cult following and one of the greatest dribblers of all time. He was once described as "one of the best-rated talents in France", but was also criticised by the media and players alike for lacking discipline.
Ben Arfa's career started in the Île-de-France region, where he trained at Boulogne-Billancourt and Versailles. In 1999, he was selected to attend the Clairefontaine academy. He spent three years there before leaving for Lyon, where he won four Ligue 1 titles. In his early career at Lyon, he played as a centre forward but moved into a striker role during the 2007–08 season. In the summer of 2008, Ben Arfa signed with rivals Marseille for €11 million in a move that required the intervention of the Ligue de Football Professionnel. With Marseille, he won the 2009–10 league title, his fifth overall, as well as the Coupe de la Ligue in 2010. After two years at Marseille, Ben Arfa joined English club Newcastle United on loan for the 2010–11 season. The deal was made permanent later in the season.
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