Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa (born March 7, 1987) is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger. He is a free agent.
Ben Arfa began his career at Lyon, where he won two Ligue 1 titles and a Coupe de France. He then moved to Marseille, where he won the Coupe de la Ligue. In 2010, he joined Newcastle United, where he was named the club's Player of the Year in the 2011–12 season. He later played for Hull City, Nice, Paris Saint-Germain, and Rennes.
Ben Arfa has made 15 appearances for the France national team, scoring two goals. He was part of the squad that reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Ben Arfa is known for his dribbling skills, pace, and creativity. He has been compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Early life
Ben Arfa was born in Clamart, Hauts-de-Seine, to Tunisian parents. He grew up in the Paris suburb of Colombes. He began playing football at the age of five and joined the youth academy of Lyon at the age of 15.
Club career
Lyon
Ben Arfa made his professional debut for Lyon in the 2004–05 season. He quickly became a regular in the team and helped the club win two Ligue 1 titles and a Coupe de France. He also played in the UEFA Champions League, where he scored a goal against Real Madrid in the 2005–06 season.
Marseille
In 2008, Ben Arfa moved to Marseille for a fee of €10 million. He scored 11 goals in his first season at the club and helped Marseille win the Coupe de la Ligue. However, he fell out of favour with manager Didier Deschamps in the following season and was loaned to Newcastle United in January 2010.
Newcastle United
Ben Arfa joined Newcastle United on loan in January 2010. He made an immediate impact at the club, scoring two goals in his first three games. He helped Newcastle avoid relegation and was named the club's Player of the Year in the 2011–12 season.
In August 2012, Ben Arfa signed a permanent contract with Newcastle United. However, he struggled with injuries in the following seasons and was loaned to Hull City in January 2014.
Hull City
Ben Arfa made 12 appearances for Hull City in the 2013–14 season. He scored two goals and helped the club avoid relegation.
Nice
In August 2015, Ben Arfa joined Nice on a free transfer. He scored 17 goals in his first season at the club and helped Nice finish third in Ligue 1. He also played in the UEFA Champions League, where he scored a goal against Napoli in the 2016–17 season.
Paris Saint-Germain
In July 2016, Ben Arfa joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. He made 23 appearances for the club in the 2016–17 season, scoring three goals. He also won the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.
Rennes
In August 2018, Ben Arfa joined Rennes on a free transfer. He made 54 appearances for the club in two seasons, scoring 13 goals.
International career
Ben Arfa has made 15 appearances for the France national team, scoring two goals. He was part of the squad that reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Personal life
Ben Arfa is married to Sarah Ben Saïd. They have two children together.
Ben Arfa is a Muslim. He is fluent in French, English, and Arabic.
