Mohamed Chalali
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Chalali is an Algeria
n footballer. He plays for Aberdeen
in the Scottish Premier League
and is captain of the Algerian Under-23s
.
, Chalali is originally from the village of Ighil Ouantar, in the Seddouk District
of the Béjaïa Province
.
. He made his Ligue 2
debut on November 2, 2007, coming on as a substitute against EA Guingamp. On 15 July 2009 he agreed a contract with LB Châteauroux
.
club Panionios, joining them on a free transfer from Châteauroux. He made 12 league appearances for the club, 5 of which were as substitute.
motivated Chalali to seek a move abroad, and former Rangers
defender and fellow Algerian Majid Bougherra recommended that he consider playing in Scotland
. On 23 August 2011, Chalali signed for Scottish Premier League
club Aberdeen F.C.
. He had been recommended to Aberdeen manager Craig Brown
by former Superleague Greece colleague Youl Mawene
, and had impressed during a trial earlier in the same month. Brown said Chalali had been the most impressive of all the trialists at the club in the 2011 summer transfer window, including Icelandic international Kari Arnason
and former Dutch under-21 Maceo Rigters
.
On the same day, despite having gone without sleep the previous evening to return to Greece to retrieve transfer-related paperwork, Chalali made his debut for Aberdeen as a second half substitute in a 2011-12 Scottish League Cup win against Dundee
. He was assigned squad number 18 for the 2011-12 Scottish Premier League season, and made his league debut, also as a substitute, in a 2-0 defeat away to Rangers on 28 August 2011. He made his first start for the club in an Aberdeenshire Cup
semi-final fixture against Deveronvale the following day.
He scored his first goals for the club on 13 September 2011 in a testimonial match
against Highland League
side Keith
, where he got a double and created another in a 6-0 victory. His first league start came in a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock F.C.
on 17 September 2011.
. On October 12, 2010, Chalali made his debut for the Algerian Under-23 National Team
in a 1–0 friendly win over Qatar
.
He went on to become captain of the U-23 side. In August 2011, he informed Aberdeen that he was likely to feature in the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship, a tournament that also serves as the qualification process for the 2012 Olympics
, and that he had ambitions to represent the full national side in the qualifiers for the 2012 African Cup of Nations. On November 16, 2011, he was selected as part of Algeria's squad for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship in Morocco
.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n footballer. He plays for Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
and is captain of the Algerian Under-23s
Algeria Olympic football team
Algeria Olympic football team represents Algeria in international football competitions in Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed...
.
Personal
Although born in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Chalali is originally from the village of Ighil Ouantar, in the Seddouk District
Seddouk District
Seddouk District is a district of Béjaïa Province, Algeria....
of the Béjaïa Province
Béjaïa Province
Béjaïa is a province of Algeria. The capital city is Béjaïa. Gouraya National Park is there. A population of the endangered primate, Barbary Macaque is found within this the province's Gouraya National Park; this canid has a severely restricted and disjunctive range.-Administrative divisions:The...
.
France
Chalali began his career with CA Romainville before he was scouted in summer 2003 from Le Havre ACLe Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
. He made his Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
debut on November 2, 2007, coming on as a substitute against EA Guingamp. On 15 July 2009 he agreed a contract with LB Châteauroux
LB Châteauroux
La Berrichonne de Châteauroux is a French association football club based in Châteauroux. The football team is a part of a sports club that consists of several other sports and was founded in 1883. The team currently plays in Ligue 2, the second division of French football, having finished 16th in...
.
Greece
On August 23 2010, Chalali signed a three-year contract with GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
club Panionios, joining them on a free transfer from Châteauroux. He made 12 league appearances for the club, 5 of which were as substitute.
Scotland
The 2011 Greek riots2010–2011 Greek protests
The 2010–2011 Greek protests are an ongoing series of demonstrations and general strikes taking place across Greece. The protests, which began on 5 May 2010, were sparked by plans to cut public spending and raise taxes as austerity measures in exchange for a bail-out, aimed at solving the...
motivated Chalali to seek a move abroad, and former Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
defender and fellow Algerian Majid Bougherra recommended that he consider playing in Scotland
Football in Scotland
Association football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite...
. On 23 August 2011, Chalali signed for Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. He had been recommended to Aberdeen manager Craig Brown
Craig Brown
Craig Brown may refer to:* Craig Brown , football player and manager* Craig Brown , British critic and satirist* Craig Brown , American curler...
by former Superleague Greece colleague Youl Mawene
Youl Mawene
Youl Mawene is a French footballer who currently plays for Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen.-Football career:Mawene started his career at Lens, and was at the club when they reached the semi finals of the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup...
, and had impressed during a trial earlier in the same month. Brown said Chalali had been the most impressive of all the trialists at the club in the 2011 summer transfer window, including Icelandic international Kari Arnason
Kári Árnason
Kári Árnason is an Icelandic international footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club . He has also played for Víkingur, Djurgården, AGF Aarhus, Esbjerg fB and...
and former Dutch under-21 Maceo Rigters
Maceo Rigters
Maceo Rigters is a Dutch footballer, who currently plays for Gold Coast United in the Australian A-League. His previous clubs include Heerenveen, Dordrecht, NAC Breda and Blackburn Rovers...
.
On the same day, despite having gone without sleep the previous evening to return to Greece to retrieve transfer-related paperwork, Chalali made his debut for Aberdeen as a second half substitute in a 2011-12 Scottish League Cup win against Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
. He was assigned squad number 18 for the 2011-12 Scottish Premier League season, and made his league debut, also as a substitute, in a 2-0 defeat away to Rangers on 28 August 2011. He made his first start for the club in an Aberdeenshire Cup
Aberdeenshire Cup
The Aberdeenshire Cup is a football tournament for all senior clubs in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Aberdeen Football Club itself holds the record on cups won, having won it 39 times. Aberdeen often don't take part in the competition, to avoid fixture congestion...
semi-final fixture against Deveronvale the following day.
He scored his first goals for the club on 13 September 2011 in a testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
against Highland League
Highland League
Highland League may refer to:* Highland Football League, which operates in the north of Scotland* Highland Land League which fought for tenants rights* Highland Alliance League, a small rugby union competition in the north of Scotland...
side Keith
Keith F.C.
Keith F.C. are a senior football club who currently play in the Highland League in Scotland.They were founded in 1910 and play at Kynoch Park which is at the east end of the town..Keith are the football team of Keith in Banffshire, north-east Scotland...
, where he got a double and created another in a 6-0 victory. His first league start came in a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
on 17 September 2011.
International career
Chalali has three caps with the Algerian Under 20 National TeamAlgeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. On October 12, 2010, Chalali made his debut for the Algerian Under-23 National Team
Algeria Olympic football team
Algeria Olympic football team represents Algeria in international football competitions in Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed...
in a 1–0 friendly win over Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
He went on to become captain of the U-23 side. In August 2011, he informed Aberdeen that he was likely to feature in the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship, a tournament that also serves as the qualification process for the 2012 Olympics
Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics is scheduled to be held in London and several other cities in the United Kingdom, from 25 July to 11 August. The finals will be played at Wembley Stadium. Associations affiliated with FIFA are invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23...
, and that he had ambitions to represent the full national side in the qualifiers for the 2012 African Cup of Nations. On November 16, 2011, he was selected as part of Algeria's squad for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.