Yazid Mansouri
Yazid Mansouri | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1978 Revin, Ardennes, France |
| Occupation(s) | Football player (retired), Sporting director |
| Years active | 1997–2012 (player) |
| Known for | Algerian international footballer, Sporting director of Espérance de Tunis |
Yazid Mansouri (, Yazīd Manṣūrī) (born 25 February 1978) is a retired football player who operated primarily as a midfielder. Although born in France, he chose to represent the Algerian national team, accumulating 67 international appearances over a decade. Presently, he holds the position of sporting director at the Tunisian club Espérance de Tunis.
Club career
Originating from Revin, Ardennes, France, Mansouri started his football journey with Tinqueux SC, a club competing in the sixth tier. At age 17, he transferred to Le Havre AC, then part of Ligue 1, initially featuring for their reserve squad. His first-team debut occurred during the 1997–98 campaign, and throughout six seasons spanning both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, he amassed 134 appearances and scored twice.
During the 2003–04 season, Mansouri was loaned to English Championship outfit Coventry City F.C., where he featured in 14 matches before departing mid-season to join Algeria for the 2004 African Cup of Nations. Following this, his contract was ended, leaving him unattached for the remainder of that season.
In 2004, he joined Ligue 2 side LB Châteauroux, quickly establishing himself as a central figure and being named captain in the 2005–06 season. Over his tenure there, he started 63 matches and netted two goals. The summer of 2006 saw Mansouri sign a two-year deal with Ligue 1 club FC Lorient.
On 23 June 2010, he committed to a two-year contract with Qatari team Al-Sailiya. Later, on 22 December 2011, Mansouri signed with Algerian club CS Constantine until the end of that season.
International career
Mansouri's initial appearances for the Algerian national team came in non-competitive matches against FC Zürich and ES Troyes in 1999. His first official call-up was recorded on 6 November 2001 in a friendly match against France held in Paris. He took part in multiple editions of the African Cup of Nations: specifically those held in 2002, 2004, and notably in 2010 when Algeria secured fourth place.
Selected for Algeria's squad at the 2010 World Cup, Mansouri lost both his captaincy and starting role prior to their opening fixture against Slovenia. Consequently, he did not feature in any of Algeria’s three group-stage matches. On 26 June 2010, he announced his retirement from international duty, withdrawing from an August friendly against Gabon as well as from the 2012 qualifying rounds. With a total of 67 caps, Mansouri stands as the ninth most capped player in Algeria’s history.
International
| Algerian national team | ||
| Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 |
| 2003 | 6 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005 | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 | 5 | 0 |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 |
| 2010 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 67 | 0 |