Himad Abdelli: Angers' key man

One of the strongest players in Ligue 2 last season in Angers' promotion campaign against all the odds, Himad Abdelli is starting to find his feet in France's top tier. The 24-year-old Algerian international scored against Saint-Étienne on Saturday as SCO went on to claim their first victory of the season. If Angers are to pull-off a survival bid this season, Abdelli's form will be vital.

Ironically, Abdelli was heavily targeted by ASSE during the summer window, but ultimately chose to make his Ligue 1 debut with Les Angevins. To the relief of the club and supporters of SCO, he stayed put. Now he's proving to be an essential asset for Alexandre Dujeux's side with three goals already in nine top flight appearances so far this season.

Born and raised in Normandy, it was only natural he would go through the youth system at Le Havre as a midfielder. Rising through the youth ranks, the young attacking midfielder made his first professional appearance in a Coupe de la Ligue outing against Troyes in 2018. Only several days later he appeared in his first Ligue 2 match against Niort Chamois.

He wasn't initially too prolific with Les Ciel et Marine, but managed to become a starter in the side in the 2020-2021 season until his performances dropped off and he became a free agent during the summer of 2022. But he would then join Angers, freshly relegated from Ligue 1, in hopes of taking them back to the big time at the first attempt.

Abdelli quickly adapted, becoming a linchpin in the team’s ascent to Ligue 1 last season. With 35 appearances, 9 goals, and 2 assists, he demonstrated his value as an attacking midfielder with vision, fluidity, and technical finesse. It was at this point that various clubs were interested in his services, including last Saturday's opponents Sainté who were engaged in discussions for his signature.

A Deep Connection to Algeria

Following his promising form in Ligue 2, Abdelli was called up to the Algerian national team in September 2023 to face Uganda. It was a moment of pride for Abdelli, who has a special connection to Algeria through his father and his grandfather. “My father is 100% Algerian, from Tizi Ouzou, and my grandfather served in the Algerian army. Algeria means so much to him, and with him, I felt I had to be Algerian too,” Abdelli revealed.

“Even though there was no crowd in Uganda, we sang for ourselves. But when I later played in Annaba with thousands of fans singing behind us, it gave me even more strength to give my best for them.” The moment was particularly emotional for his grandfather, who had always hoped to see Abdelli wear the Fennecs’ jersey.

With three goals in nine appearances so far in Ligue 1 with Angers, Abdelli is once again showing that he can get a key figure for SCO, despite their struggles since the start of the season at the bottom of the table.

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