Fahid Ben Khalfallah

Fahid Ben Khalfallah
Ben Khalfallah with Bordeaux in 2010
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-10-09) 9 October 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Péronne, France
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger, attacking midfielder[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2005 Amiens 82 (4)
2005–2007 Laval 73 (12)
2007–2008 Angers 35 (5)
2008–2009 Caen 30 (2)
2009–2010 Valenciennes 39 (7)
2010–2014 Bordeaux 76 (1)
2014 Troyes 15 (1)
2014–2017 Melbourne Victory 76 (12)
2017–2018 Brisbane Roar 24 (1)
2018–2021 Nunawading City[3][4] 32 (1)
Total 450 (45)
International career
2008–2011 Tunisia 14 (2)
Managerial career
2018–2021 Nunawading City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Fahid Ben Khalfallah (Arabic: فهيد بن خلف الله; born 9 October 1982) is a retired professional footballer who played as a winger or attacking midfielder. Born in France, he played for the Tunisia national team between 2008 and 2011.

Career

Fahid Ben Khalfhallah training for Melbourne Victory, May 2015

Valenciennes

In the summer of 2009, he signed for Valenciennes FC for three years. He started the season very well, starting five games and coming on as a substitute in another five, scoring three goals and providing five assists.

Bordeaux

In August 2010, Ben Khalfallah joined Bordeaux signing a four-year contract with a fee of €5 million being paid to Valenciennes.[5][6]

Troyes

He joined Troyes in January 2014.[7]

Melbourne Victory

In September 2014 he signed a one-year contract with Melbourne Victory.[8]

His first season in Australia was very successful; scoring five goals and making nine assists in the A-League helping to win that competitions Premiership and Championship, as well as being awarded the Victory Medal as the club's player of the season.[9]

On 24 April 2015, Melbourne Victory announced that they had retained Ben Khalfallah's services for a further two years, the player citing that he enjoyed life in Melbourne and playing for the club.[10]

On 26 April 2017, Ben Khalfallah confirmed that he would be leaving the Victory at the end of the season.[11][12][13] This was confirmed by the club on 12 May 2017, with Ben Khalfallah listed as one of seven players departing the club at the end of the season.[14]

Brisbane Roar

Ben Khalfallah signed with rival A-League club Brisbane Roar on a one-season deal shortly after leaving the Victory.[15] On 20 April 2018, following the elimination of Brisbane Roar against Melbourne City in the A-League Elimination Finals, Fahid Ben Khalfallah decided to retire at the age of 35.[16]

Nunawading City

On 19 May 2018, only a month after announcing his retirement, Ben Khalfallah came out of retirement and sign for NPL2 East Victoria club Nunawading City for the remainder of the season. After promising the coaching staff he would play for Nunawading after his stint with Roar, Ben Khalfallah made his debut on the same day his signing was announced against the Eastern Lions in a goalless draw.[17] Ben Khalfallah scored his first goal for Nunawading against Melbourne City FC Youth, winning the game 3–1. Nunawading finished the season in bottom place in NPL2 East and were relegated to the fifth-tier State League Division 1 South-East for 2019.

In September 2018, Ben Khalfallah was announced as player-coach of Nunawading for the 2019 State League 1 season. Nunawading went on to finish top of the 2019 State League 1 South East ladder, winning the league and winning promotion back into the NPL in 2020.[18]

On 15 October 2021, after two disrupted seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nunawading City announced on their Facebook page that they had parted ways with Ben Khalfallah and assistant Devon Bonne after the 2021 NPL3 Season had been cancelled.

Personal life

Ben Khalfallah was born in Peronne, France, to Tunisian parents. His father had emigrated to France, also as a professional footballer. Although his parents were Muslim, Ben Khalfallah has described himself as an atheist.[19]

He has often spoken very positively of the experience for himself and his family since moving to Melbourne, Australia, for Melbourne Victory, and this was a key reason for his re-signing for the club.[10]

Ben Khalfallah currently works as a player agent.[20]

Career statistics

As of 20 April 2018[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goal Apps Goals Apps Goals
Amiens 2001–02 Ligue 2 24 2 0 0 1 0 — — 25 2
2002–03 11 0 0 0 0 0 — — 11 0
2003–04 33 1 4 1 1 0 — — 38 2
2004–05 14 1 2 1 1 0 — — 17 2
Total 82 4 6 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 91 6
Laval 2005–06 Ligue 2 36 4 1 0 2 0 — — 39 4
2006–07 Championnat National 37 9 2 0 1 0 — — 40 9
Total 73 13 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 79 13
Angers 2007–08 Ligue 2 33 5 5 4 1 0 — — 39 9
2008–09 2 0 — — — — 2 0
Total 35 5 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 41 9
Caen 2008–09 Ligue 1 30 2 2 0 1 0 — — 33 2
Valenciennes 2009–10 Ligue 1 36 7 1 0 1 0 — — 38 7
2010–11 3 0 — — — — 3 0
Total 39 7 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 41 7
Bordeaux 2010–11 Ligue 1 32 1 2 0 2 0 — — 36 1
2011–12 15 0 1 0 1 0 — — 17 0
2012–13 26 0 3 1 1 0 5 0 — 35 1
2013–14 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 8 0
Total 76 1 7 1 4 0 8 0 1 0 106 22
Troyes 2013–14 Ligue 2 15 1 — 1 0 — — 16 1
Melbourne Victory 2014–15 A-League 27 5 1 1 — — — 28 6
2015–16 26 5 5 1 — 0 0 — 31 6
2016–17 23 2 4 0 — — — 27 2
Total 76 12 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 86 14
Brisbane Roar 2017–18 A-League 24 1 0 0 — 1 0 — 25 1
Career total 450 46 34 9 14 0 9 0 1 0 508 55

Honours

Bordeaux

Melbourne Victory:

Nunawading City

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Fahid Ben Khalfallah". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Fahid Ben Khalfallah makes Melbourne move". 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  3. ^ Sportstg. "Player Statistics Ben Khalfallah 2019". Football Victoria. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. ^ Sportstg. "Player statistics Khalfallah 2018-21". Football Victoria. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  5. ^ Haond, Patrick. "Ben Khalfallah off to Bordeaux". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  6. ^ Bairner, Robin (27 August 2010). "Official: Girondins de Bordeaux Complete The Capture Of Fahid Ben Khalfallah From Valenciennes". Goal. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Ben Khalfallah rejoint l'Estac" [Ben Khalfallah joins Estac] (in French). estac.fr. 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  8. ^ Windley, Matt (18 September 2014). "Kevin Muscat makes Tunisian international Fahid Ben Khalfallah final Melbourne Victory recruit". Fox Sports.
  9. ^ Fahid Ben Khalfallah wins Victory Medal Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Melbourne Victory Official Website
  10. ^ a b #BenPenned: MVFC re-signs FBK Archived 21 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine Melbourne Victory Official Website
  11. ^ "Fahid Ben Khalfallah set to leave Melbourne Victory". ESPN FC. ESPN. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  12. ^ Windley, Matt (25 April 2017). "Fahid Ben Khalfallah determined to finish his Victory career on a high". Herald Sun. News Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Ben Khalfallah to exit Melbourne Victory". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  14. ^ "Melbourne Victory confirms player departures". Melbourne Victory FC. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Ben Khalfallah joins Brisbane Roar". The World Game. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Fahid Ben Khalfallah announces retirement after Roar's final loss". FOX Sports Australia. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Khalfallah signs with Melbourne club | The World Game". The World Game. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  18. ^ Panas, Philip (14 October 2019). "Football Victoria confirm new NPL structures for 2020". Soccerscene. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  19. ^ Fahid Ben Khalfallah condemns Paris religious terror The Age 17 November 2015
  20. ^ Rugari, Vince. "Why targeting injured opponents is fair game for Wanderers' Brazilian hardman". The Age. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  21. ^ Fahid Ben Khalfallah at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 March 2024.