Yacine Brahimi Shines Bright in Europe and Reflects on a Remarkable 2014
Algerian international Yacine Brahimi is enjoying a golden period in his career, earning a spot in FIFA’s best eleven players of the week in Europe. With standout performances for both FC Porto and the Algerian national team, Brahimi’s rise in European football has been nothing short of exceptional.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder has made a thunderous start to the season with Porto, regularly dazzling in domestic league matches and the UEFA Champions League. His form has also carried over to the international stage, where he played a crucial role in Algeria’s successful qualification campaign for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Reflecting on a memorable year during an interview with the BBC, Brahimi highlighted three defining moments from 2014:
“There are many great moments, but I’ll remember three in particular:
– My goal at the World Cup against South Korea and our qualification for the round of 16. That was historic for Algeria.
– Scoring for Granada in a win over Barcelona at the end of last season — that was special.
– And, of course, my Champions League hat-trick against BATE Borisov.”
That Champions League hat-trick, in fact, made him the first Algerian to score three goals in a UCL match, immediately placing him among the continent’s elite.
Brahimi, a product of Rennes’ academy, has always dreamt of competing in the Champions League, and now that he is living that dream with FC Porto, he savors every moment:
“Playing in the Champions League was a dream come true. It’s even more beautiful than I imagined. Hearing that music… it’s magical. Every footballer dreams of this stage.”
As the year wraps up, Yacine Brahimi’s trajectory continues to point upward. With AFCON 2015 on the horizon and more Champions League nights ahead, Algerian fans have every reason to believe that their star midfielder will continue to make headlines in 2015.
