Profile: Eliesse Ben Seghir hitting 'new heights' with Monaco

Eliesse Ben Seghir is back. The Morocco international says he's reaching new levels for table-topping Monaco this season.

Eliesse Ben Seghir's rise to prominence was very quick in the 2022-2023 season with AS Monaco, but the Moroccan international's progress was limited by injuries during last season and was only able to play 14 matches in all competitions. This time around, the 19-year-old has already made seven appearances for Les Monégasques and has been making a difference for Adi Hütter's high-flying side at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

Fresh off a brace for Morocco against the Central African Republic (4-0), the 19-year-old is gearing up for another important set of fixtures for Monaco. The principality side face Lille at Stade Louis II on Friday (20:45 CET), before facing Angers just ahead of their return to Champions League action against Bologna in two weeks time.

Last March, Ben Seghir had to choose between two powerhouse nations, and he decided to represent Morocco at the international level. With a bronze medal under his belt at the Olympics in the summer, his influence at the international level is growing alongside the progress made at Monaco.

"Choosing Morocco did me a lot of good because it is challenging to play when there is an important decision to make. It freed my mind," the Atlas Lion told AS Monaco's official site. "Whether here in Monaco or in Morocco, I have the confidence of the coach and I joined a team that was a semi-finalist in the World Cup."

Bursting onto the scene with Monaco 

Ben Seghir suddenly burst onto the Ligue 1 scene in the 2022-2023 season, and it took just 13 minutes to make his mark on senior club football after being substituted on for Wissam Ben Yedder at half-time. He scored a fantastic brace, which included a stunning late winner over AJ Auxerre. Cutting in from the left flank on his right foot - he found the corner from 25 yards and became the second-youngest ever player to score two goals in a Ligue 1 game, following in the footsteps of a young Thierry Henry.

He would go on that season to feature in 19 appearances for Les Monégasques, notching a  total of four goals and one assist in a struggling Monaco side in Ligue 1, whilst featuring in three games in the UEFA Europa League. With Adi Hütter's appointment at the start of the last Ligue 1 campaign - and a much more competitive principality side - Ben Seghir had a somewhat quieter season marred by injury. He still managed to play for ASM in 14 appearances and net twice.

Back to his best

"I feel like I’m reaching new heights after a season where I was held back by injuries. I feel I have the confidence of the coach and the staff," Ben Seghir said to AS Monaco's official site recently. "The coach is trying to help me progress and has set for me several objectives, particularly defensive ones. This is the season where I’m defending the most by dropping back more. He also wants me to be more decisive, and that’s through stats."

Following last season's period of injury, Ben Seghir admits he is managing his recovery better thanks to a personal physiotherapist. "I now try to optimise recovery. For this, I hired a personal physiotherapist and I stayed some afternoons in treatment to allow myself to be even better in this way. It is sure that it is not easy to play every 3 days to recover as well as possible and be in shape but the schedule is made like that, we have no choice."

Ben Seghir will be back in Ligue 1 action as Monaco host Lille at Stade Louis II this Friday evening. 

READ MORE: 

>> International Recap: Eliesse Ben Seghir at the double for Morocco