El Arabi Hilal Soudani, an Algerian professional footballer born on 25 November 1987 in Chlef, built a career spanning leagues in Portugal, Croatia, England, Greece, and Slovenia. Since his 2006 debut with ASO Chlef, he accumulated 56 international caps for Algeria, scoring 24 goals to become the national team's eighth-highest goalscorer.
Early Career and Domestic Success
Soudani began his professional journey in the youth ranks of ASO Chlef, appearing for the first team in May 2006. He earned recognition as the 2008 DZFoot Young Player of the Year after scoring 11 goals in 24 games. His performance peaked during the 2010-11 season when he was named the league's top scorer with 18 goals and received the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 Footballer of the Year award.
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In August 2011, he moved to the Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães on a three-year contract. He secured a vital role in their 2013 Taça de Portugal victory, scoring the equalizing goal in the final against Benfica. Following this success, he signed a four-year deal with Dinamo Zagreb, where he claimed multiple league titles and achieved a career-high 17 league goals during the 2016-17 season.
Injury Challenges and Subsequent Transfers
Soudani joined Nottingham Forest in June 2018 but suffered two significant injuries that curtailed his impact in England. He moved to Olympiacos in 2019, where he overcame initial selection hurdles to become a leading scorer before an ACL injury in February 2020 ended his campaign. After leaving Greece in 2021, he signed a two-year contract with Maribor in June 2023.
International Representation
He debuted for the Algerian national team in June 2011 during a qualifier against Morocco. His international resume includes appearances at the 2013, 2015, and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, alongside the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He also finished as a top scorer at the 2011 African Nations Championship with three goals.
Fast facts
- Born: 25 November 1987, Chlef, Algeria
- International caps: 56
- International goals: 24
- Positions: Winger
- Major trophies: Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1, Taça de Portugal, Super League Greece, FIFA Arab Cup
- First club: ASO Chlef
- Languages spoken: Arabic
Questions readers ask
How many league goals did Soudani score in his best season at Dinamo Zagreb?
He scored 17 league goals during the 2016-17 season.
Did Soudani participate in the FIFA World Cup?
Yes, he featured for Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
