Islam Slimani has been named the best Maghreb player of the year 2013 by readers of France Football. With over 55% of the 228,000 votes cast between January 22 and February 2, the Algerian striker, renowned as the best player of the Fennecs, secured the title of best Maghrebi player of the year 2013 on the Maghreb Football Club blog hosted on francefootball.fr.
Slimani surpassed AS Roma’s Moroccan international defender Mehdi Benatia, who garnered 30% of the votes, and FC Valencia’s Algerian international attacking midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, who received 6% of the votes, despite his recent victory against FC Barcelona in Spain.
Expressing his joy on social media, Slimani thanked his supporters: “I am honored to have been named the ‘Best North African player’ by France Football. This achievement would not have been possible without your support. Thank you for your trust, which fuels my determination. Congratulations to my brothers Mehdi Benatia, Sofiane Feghouli, and all those who bring pride to the Greater Maghreb!”
Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic praised Slimani’s talent and progress: “When I took charge of the Fennecs, I was in search of an attacker. Slimani caught my attention during a match in the Algerian Championship with CR Bélouizdad. His inclusion in the team surprised many, but he has since shown significant improvement. It’s a well-deserved recognition for someone who still has much potential. He’s a remarkable individual, and I’m delighted for him.”
Halilhodzic also spoke highly of Sofiane Feghouli, urging him to aim for greater achievements: “Sofiane is immensely talented, and I hope he reaches even greater heights. I encourage him to be more ambitious and dedicated. He possesses immense potential and has yet to realize his full capabilities.”
