Emmanuel Adebayor Sheyi, the Togolese striker, signed his first professional contract with FC Metz in 2001 and has since played for various top clubs, including Monaco, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Real Madrid, with his current team being Tottenham. Interestingly, Adebayor mentioned that throughout his career, he has never played with an Algerian teammate in a club setting.
In his comments before a friendly match against Morocco, Adebayor expressed his admiration for certain Algerian players. He noted that while he has not played alongside them in a club, he has a positive opinion about some Algerian footballers. Adebayor mentioned Mehdi Meniri, whom he acknowledged as a good player, and also praised Nadir Belhadj, calling him a good friend and an excellent player who had played with Adebayor’s idol, Kanu, at Portsmouth. He highlighted Belhadj’s qualities, including his ability to run, move forward, dribble, and contribute to the attack.
Adebayor also spoke highly of Yebda, recognizing his technical qualities. He expressed anticipation about encountering Algerian players during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in 2013. Both Togo and Algeria were in the same group, Pool D, along with Ivory Coast and Tunisia, providing Adebayor with the opportunity to face Algerian players on the field.
