Three African talents shortlisted for Ligue 2 September award

Three young players of African heritage – Comorian midfielder Islamdine Halifa, Congolese defender Ethan Kena-Kabeya and Moroccan midfielder Chamsedin Kouranfal – are in contention for the Ligue 2 BKT Pepite of the Month award for September.

The Red Star, Clermont Foot and Stade de Reims players have different profiles, but each used the month to underline their potential and strengthen their claims as some of the division’s young players to watch.

Islamdine Halifa – Red Star’s influential Comorian midfielder

At 21, Islamdine Halifa has established himself in the Red Star midfield, operating primarily as a defensive midfielder. His energy, availability and willingness to contribute to the team’s overall play have made him an increasingly important figure.

Halifa started all three of Red Star’s Ligue 2 matches in September and played a decisive role in their away victory at Guingamp, providing two assists.

His ability to perform the less visible work while still influencing matches in the final third is one of his main strengths. As a ball-winning midfielder who can move forward and support attacking phases, he has become a particularly useful option within Red Star’s system.

His market value is estimated at 700,000 euros by Transfermarkt.

Ethan Kena-Kabeya – Clermont’s developing defensive prospect

Ethan Kena-Kabeya, 20, is regarded as one of the young players Clermont Foot hope to build around in the future. Born in 2006, the Congolese centre-back came through the Chateauroux academy before joining Clermont in 2024.

His development has followed a gradual path. A loan spell at FC Villefranche Beaujolais gave him valuable playing time and greater exposure to the demands of senior football. He returned to Clermont aiming to establish himself in Ligue 2, and the club showed its faith in him by extending his contract until 2028 in August.

A right-footed central defender trained in the French system, Kena-Kabeya combines a developing professional education with a strong Congolese identity.

His nomination reflects progress built on consistency and defensive strength rather than attacking numbers. At his age, each start, successful duel and appearance represents another stage in his development.

Like Halifa, Kena-Kabeya has an estimated market value of 700,000 euros, underlining the interest in his potential.

Chamsedin Kouranfal – from Regional 1 to Ligue 2

Chamsedin Kouranfal’s rise is perhaps the most striking of the three. The 20-year-old Stade de Reims midfielder moved from Regional 1 to Ligue 2 within only a few weeks.

He made an immediate impact in professional football, scoring on his Ligue 2 debut against Annecy. Only a few months earlier, he had been playing for Pagny-sur-Moselle in Regional 1.

During September, Kouranfal played 162 minutes, scored once, was named in the team of the week for matchday six and reached a top speed of 34.6 km/h against Montpellier, according to Stade de Reims.

His rapid progress has made him one of the midfielders to watch at Reims after he moved through several levels of competition in a remarkably short period.

Halifa, Kena-Kabeya and Kouranfal are all aged 20 or 21, and each has a market value estimated at 700,000 euros. Their nominations highlight the emerging African talent in Ligue 2, with the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Morocco represented.