| Intro | Algerian association football player | |||||
| A.K.A. | El Arabi Hillel Soudani | |||||
| Is |
Athlete Football player Association football player |
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| From | Algeria | |||||
| Type | Sports | |||||
| Gender | male | |||||
| Birth | 25 November 1987, Chlef, Algeria | |||||
| Age: | 32 years | |||||
| Star sign | Sagittarius | |||||
| Stats |
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| Sports Teams |
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El Arabi Hilal Soudani (Arabic: العربي هلال سوداني; born 25 November 1987) is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Greek club Olympiacos and the Algeria national team.
Soudani made his international debut in 2010, and featured at the 2013 and 2015 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. As of November 2019, he has won 51 international caps and scored 23 goals, making him Algeria’s sixth-highest goalscorer in history.
Club career
ASO Chlef
Born in Chlef, Soudani began his career in the junior ranks of his hometown club ASO Chlef. In May 2006, aged 19, he made his first team debut for the club as a substitute against USM Annaba in the 28th round of the 2005–06 Algerian Championnat National, coming on for Samir Zaoui in the 72nd minute.
In 2008, Soudani was chosen as the 2008 Young Player of the Year by DZFoot after scoring 11 goals in 24 games in the 2007–08 season.
In June 2011, Soudani went on trial with French Ligue 2 club Le Mans FC.
Vitória S.C.
On 8 August 2011, Soudani signed a three-year contract with Portuguese club Vitória S.C. The transfer fee was rumoured to be €800,000. On 25 August 2011, Soudani made his official debut for Vitória as a 66th-minute substitute in a 2011–12 UEFA Europa League play-off round match against Atlético Madrid. On 16 October 2011, Soudani opened his scoring account for the club with a brace in the third round of the 2011–12 Taça de Portugal against Moura Atlético Clube. After going down 1–0, Soudani scored the equaliser in the 89th minute of the game to send the game to extra-time, before scoring the winner in the 117th minute. On 1 April 2012, Soudani scored his first goal in the Primeira Liga in a 3–1 win against Paços de Ferreira. On 21 April, he scored a brace in a 3–2 win against União de Leiria.
On 26 May 2013, Soudani helped Vitória win their first ever Taça de Portugal by beating Benfica 2–1 in the final, scoring the equalising goal in the 79th minute before Ricardo netted the winner two minutes later. The following day he travelled to Croatia to complete a medical ahead of a transfer to Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo Zagreb
On 27 May 2013, Soudani signed a four-year contract with Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, for a transfer fee of €900,000.
On 6 July 2013, he won the Croatian Supercup with Dinamo Zagreb against Hajduk Split, making his debut for Dinamo Zagreb in that match. Soudani made his Croatian First Football League debut six days later, scoring in a 3–1 win over NK Osijek. He then scored twice and assisted another goal in Dinamo’s 5-0 win over Fola Esch in UEFA Champions League qualifying. Soudani won the Croatian league championship, scoring 16 goals and finishing third in the Golden Boot race, behind Dinamo teammates Andrej Kramarić with 18 and Duje Čop with 22.
In the 2014–15 season, Soudani scored a hat-trick against Astra Giurgiu in the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League group stage. He won his second league championship with Dinamo, scoring 11 goals and assisting 15 in the league, and won his first Croatian Cup.
Soudani’s Dinamo completed the league and cup double again in the 2015–16 season, however the player himself had a less successful season, battling injuries and form and finished with eight goals and four assists in the league.
In the 2016–17 season, Soudani’s 95th minute extra-time goal against Red Bull Salzburg sent Dinamo through to the group stages of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League. Despite finishing second in the league behind HNK Rijeka, the first time Dinamo had not won the league in 10 seasons, Soudani achieved a career best 17 goals in the league, becoming the second Croatian top scorer from outside the former Yugoslavia and the first from outside Europe.
Nottingham Forest
On 29 June 2018, Soudani joined English club Nottingham Forest on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Soudani actually made a fantastic start to life in the English second tier. In the opening four matches of the season, Soudani scored twice, but he promptly received a knock to his knee. Soudani then picked up a new serious injury to his leg in October which kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of the campaign.
Olympiacos
On 18 June 2019, Soudani joined Olympiacos on a permanent transfer.
By mid-November 2019, despite not being in manager Pedro Martins’ plans at the beginning of the campaign, he had played himself into the starting eleven with his performances. In only 532 minutes of play season, he scored five goals and made one assist, and was the team’s leading scorer in league action.
On 20 February 2020, in a 1–0 victory against Atromitos, Soudani sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which was forecasted to keep him out of action for at least six months.
International career
In February 2011, Soudani was selected by head coach Abdelhak Benchikha as part of the Algerian A’ National Team for the 2011 African Nations Championship in Sudan. In the opening group stage game against Uganda, Soudani started the match and scored a goal in the 61st minute as Algeria won 2–0. In the second group game against Gabon, Soudani scored a brace with goals in the 71st and 90th minute of the game. However, Algeria only managed a 2–2 draw. Despite not scoring in the rest of the competition, Soudani still finished as the top scorer in the competition with three goals.
On 14 May 2011, Soudani was called up by Abdelhak Benchikha to the Algerian National Team for the first time for a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Morocco. On 4 June 2011, he made his debut as a substitute for Rafik Djebbour in the 79th minute of the match.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 7 February 2020
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| ASO Chlef | 2005–06 | National 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 4 | ||||
| 2007–08 | 24 | 11 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 11 | |||||
| 2008–09 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 4 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | 32 | 16 | |||||
| 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 18 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 28 | 19 | ||||
| Total | 108 | 48 | 14 | 6 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 124 | 54 | ||||
| Vitória de Guimarães | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 6 | |
| 2012–13 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | 24 | 12 | |||||
| Total | 37 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 45 | 18 | |||
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2013–14 | MAXtv Prva Liga | 31 | 16 | 5 | 0 | — | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 19 | |
| 2014–15 | 23 | 11 | 3 | 0 | — | 12 | 5 | — | 38 | 16 | ||||
| 2015–16 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 3 | — | 11 | 3 | — | 37 | 14 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 29 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | 11 | 2 | — | 41 | 19 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 28 | 17 | 4 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 35 | 18 | ||||
| Total | 132 | 69 | 18 | 4 | — | 46 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 197 | 86 | |||
| Nottingham Forest | 2018–19 | Championship | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| Total | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Olympiacos | 2019-20 | Superleague | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | |
| Total | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | |||
| Career total | 302 | 139 | 38 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 393 | 167 | ||
International
- As of matches played 14 November 2019
| Competition | Goals | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 6 |
| 2013 | 11 | 3 |
| 2014 | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 | 8 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 51 | 23 |
| Competition | Goals | |
| Africa Cup of Nations qualification | 12 | |
| Friendlies | 5 | |
| Africa Cup of Nations tournaments | 2 | |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 4 | |
| Total | 23 | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 6 |
| 2013 | 11 | 3 |
| 2014 | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 | 8 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 51 | 23 |
| Africa Cup of Nations qualification | 12 | |
| Friendlies | 5 | |
| Africa Cup of Nations tournaments | 2 | |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 4 | |
| Total | 23 |
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 May 2012 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | 3 | Niger | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | June 2, 2012 | 4 | Rwanda | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 3 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 4 | 15 June 2012 | 6 | Gambia | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 5 | 9 September 2012 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco | 7 | Libya | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 6 | 14 October 2012 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | 8 | 1–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 7 | 30 January 2013 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa | 12 | Ivory Coast | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 8 | 2 June 2013 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | 14 | Burkina Faso | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 10 September 2013 | 17 | Mali | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 10 | 5 March 2014 | 20 | Slovenia | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | |
| 11 | 4 June 2014 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland | 22 | Romania | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| 12 | 6 September 2014 | Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 26 | Ethiopia | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 13 | 1 February 2015 | Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | 32 | Ivory Coast | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 14 | June 13, 2015 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | 33 | Seychelles | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 15 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 16 | September 6, 2015 | Setsoto Stadium, Maseru, Lesotho | 34 | Lesotho | 2–1 | 3–1 | |
| 17 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 18 | 2 June 2016 | Stade Linité, Victoria, Seychelles | 37 | Seychelles | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| 19 | September 5, 2016 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | 38 | Lesotho | 1–0 | 6–0 | |
| 20 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 21 | 9 October 2016 | 39 | Cameroon | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 22 | 6 June 2017 | 41 | Guinea | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 23 | 14 November 2019 | 50 | Zambia | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Honours
Club
ASO Chlef
- Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (1): 2010–11
Vitória Guimarães
- Taça de Portugal (1): 2013
Dinamo Zagreb
- Croatian First League (4): 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18
- Croatian Cup (3): 2015, 2016, 2018
- Croatian Super Cup (1): 2013
Individual
- Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 Footballer of the Year: 2010–11
- DZFoot Young Player of the Year: 2008
- DZFoot d’Or: 2013
- Prva HNL Team of the Year: 2014, 2017, 2018
- Football Oscar: Best Prva HNL player 2018
- Prva HNL Player of the Year (Tportal): 2017
- Top scorer of the 2011 African Nations Championship with 3 goals
- Top scorer of the 2010–11 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 with 18 goals
- Top scorer of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification with 7 goals
- Top scorer of the 2017–18 Croatian First Football League with 17 goals