Nabil El Zhar
Encyclopedia
Nabil El Zhar is a French
-born Moroccan
footballer and currently plays for Levante
. He also has eight caps for Morocco
. El Zhar is known for his pace and dribbling ability
, then switched again to AS Saint-Étienne
.
against Newcastle in a reserves match on 3 October 2006. He scored his first goal, from the penalty spot, in a reserve 'mini-derby' against Everton on 10 October 2006.
El Zhar made his first team debut on 29 November 2006, coming on as a substitute against Portsmouth. He went on to make two more appearances in the 2006–07 season.
He made his first Liverpool start in a Carling Cup
tie against Cardiff City
on 31 October 2007, in which he scored his first goal for the club. El Zhar was moved from the number 42 shirt to the number 31 shirt for the start of the 2008–2009 campaign.
El Zhar became part of the regular first-team squad in the 2008–09 season appearing in a 1–0 win against Sunderland and making his first assist on 18 October 2008, coming on for Andrea Dossena
with Liverpool 1–2 down against Wigan Athletic
. He set up Albert Riera
for the equaliser and the game finished 3–2 to Liverpool. On 27 February 2009, He made his first start for Liverpool in the Premier League against Middlesbrough
in which Liverpool lost 2–0. In this season El Zhar was affected by injuries restricting him to just a handful of outings as a substitute, usually coming off the bench to stretch opposition defences in the closing stages of a game.
On 11 July 2009, he signed a new contract extension to his current Liverpool contract that would have kept him at Anfield until 2012.
side PAOK F.C. and was handed the number 7 shirt on his arrival. The deal expired on the 3 June 2011. El-Zhar made his debut for the club on the 16th of September in a 1–1 UEFA Europa League group game against FC Bruges. He subsequently played in PAOK's last 5 group games;the 1–0 win against Dinamo Zagreb
, the 1–0 defeat to Villareal, the 1–0 win against Villareal, the 1–1 draw with FC Bruges and the 1–0 win against Dynamo Zagreb. He later returned to Liverpool.
side Levante UD
where he will sign a contract that will keep him at Estadi Ciutat de València for 2 years.
, France
, El Zhar chose to play internationally for the country of his parents, Morocco. However he did represent France at youth level. El Zhar played in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
, and Morocco got to the semi-finals, where they were defeated 3–0 by Nigeria. Morocco ended the tournament in fourth place after a 2–1 loss to Brazil.
On the 26 March 2008, El Zhar scored for Morocco
in a 4–1 away win against Belgium in his first international appearance.
France
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...
-born Moroccan
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...
footballer and currently plays for Levante
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
. He also has eight caps for Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
. El Zhar is known for his pace and dribbling ability
Club career
El Zhar began his football career with OAC Alès, a local youth team. From there he moved to Nîmes OlympiqueNîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
, then switched again to AS Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
.
Liverpool
He signed for Liverpool in October 2006 and made his debut for their reserve teamLiverpool F.C. Reserves
Liverpool F.C. Reserves are the reserve team of Liverpool.-Reserve team:Liverpool Reserves play in the FA Premier Reserve League. In their division, the reserves became Champions in 2000. They competed in the Lancashire Combination from 1896 to 1911, with the exception of the 1898–99 season, in...
against Newcastle in a reserves match on 3 October 2006. He scored his first goal, from the penalty spot, in a reserve 'mini-derby' against Everton on 10 October 2006.
El Zhar made his first team debut on 29 November 2006, coming on as a substitute against Portsmouth. He went on to make two more appearances in the 2006–07 season.
He made his first Liverpool start in a Carling Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie against Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on 31 October 2007, in which he scored his first goal for the club. El Zhar was moved from the number 42 shirt to the number 31 shirt for the start of the 2008–2009 campaign.
El Zhar became part of the regular first-team squad in the 2008–09 season appearing in a 1–0 win against Sunderland and making his first assist on 18 October 2008, coming on for Andrea Dossena
Andrea Dossena
Andrea Dossena is an Italian footballer who plays as a left back for S.S.C. Napoli.-Early career:Dossena began his career at Verona as a youth player before playing 4 seasons in their senior squad...
with Liverpool 1–2 down against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. He set up Albert Riera
Albert Riera
Albert Riera Ortega is a Spanish footballer who plays for Galatasaray SK in Turkey, as a left winger.He made a name for himself at Espanyol , and also played professionally in France, England and Greece.Riera gained 16 caps for Spain, representing...
for the equaliser and the game finished 3–2 to Liverpool. On 27 February 2009, He made his first start for Liverpool in the Premier League against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in which Liverpool lost 2–0. In this season El Zhar was affected by injuries restricting him to just a handful of outings as a substitute, usually coming off the bench to stretch opposition defences in the closing stages of a game.
On 11 July 2009, he signed a new contract extension to his current Liverpool contract that would have kept him at Anfield until 2012.
PAOK (loan)
On 31 August 2010, El-Zhar completed a loan switch to GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
side PAOK F.C. and was handed the number 7 shirt on his arrival. The deal expired on the 3 June 2011. El-Zhar made his debut for the club on the 16th of September in a 1–1 UEFA Europa League group game against FC Bruges. He subsequently played in PAOK's last 5 group games;the 1–0 win against Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
, the 1–0 defeat to Villareal, the 1–0 win against Villareal, the 1–1 draw with FC Bruges and the 1–0 win against Dynamo Zagreb. He later returned to Liverpool.
Levante
On the 18th August 2011, Liverpool announced that El-Zhar had been released from his contract and that he was expected to complete a move to SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
side Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
where he will sign a contract that will keep him at Estadi Ciutat de València for 2 years.
International career
Although born in AlèsAlès
Alès is a commune in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. It is one of the sub-prefectures of the department. It was formerly known as Alais.-Geography:...
, France
France
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...
, El Zhar chose to play internationally for the country of his parents, Morocco. However he did represent France at youth level. El Zhar played in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
, and Morocco got to the semi-finals, where they were defeated 3–0 by Nigeria. Morocco ended the tournament in fourth place after a 2–1 loss to Brazil.
On the 26 March 2008, El Zhar scored for Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
in a 4–1 away win against Belgium in his first international appearance.
Statistics
 Premier League |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup League Cup In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals |
| Liverpool (Premier League) |
2006–07 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Liverpool total | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| Career totals | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| Correct as of 15 December 2009 | |||||||||||