Yacine Brahimi Named Best North African Player of 2014 by France Football
Algerian international Yacine Brahimi has added yet another accolade to his growing list of honours after being voted France Football‘s North African Player of the Year for 2014. The FC Porto playmaker topped the fan poll with a commanding 48% of the vote, affirming his rising status in the world of football.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough year, impressing both at club level in Portugal and on the international stage with Algeria, particularly during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His standout performances have already earned him the Algerian Ballon d’Or and the prestigious BBC African Footballer of the Year award—testament to his consistency and flair across multiple competitions.
Brahimi finished comfortably ahead of Bayern Munich’s Mehdi Benatia, who took 26% of the vote, and Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani, who garnered 11%. Other contenders included Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia, 5%), Yassine Chikhaoui and Wahbi Khazri (2% each), and Ferjani Sassi, who earned less than 1%.
Former PSG legend Mustapha Dahleb praised Brahimi’s evolution, noting his natural flair and growing maturity on the pitch. “He’s a player you have to view with a long-term perspective,” Dahleb told France Football. “In Spain, he showed promise, and in Portugal, he’s becoming a true leader. His dribbling? That’s innate. You can train your entire life and still not reach that level.”
Currently one of the standout players in Ligue 1 and on the African continent, Brahimi’s continued success marks him out as a key figure for both FC Porto and Algeria heading into 2015. With the Africa Cup of Nations around the corner, expectations are high that he will once again be central to Algeria’s ambitions.
