Sofiane Feghouli, born on December 26, 1989, in Levallois-Perret, France, and of Algerian origin, initially held French nationality and played for the Bleuets from 2006 to 2012. As an attacking midfielder, he scored one goal in 5 games with the French team.
Despite his early ties with France, Feghouli’s talent attracted the attention of Algerian football officials, leading to discussions about representing Algeria. After a few months of contemplation, he definitively chose to play for Algeria in May 2011. Subsequently, he was called up by Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodžić to face Cameroon in a friendly match.
Feghouli marked his official debut for Algeria with a goal on February 29, 2012, against Gambia. He played a crucial role in Algeria’s qualification for the 2014 World Cup play-offs.
Beginning his professional club career with Grenoble Foot 38 in 2007, Feghouli spent three seasons there, scoring 3 goals in 64 matches. In April 2010, he signed a four-year deal with Valencia CF. Despite participating in his first Champions League match in December 2010, the intense competition at Valencia limited his playing time, leading to a loan to Almería (Spain) in 2011.