Hatem Ben Arfa

Zone Soccer Player | Hatem Ben Arfa | Ben Arfa started his career throughout Various clubs in the Île-de-France region, having Trained at AC Boulogne-Billancourt and Versailles. Ben Arfa spent three years at the academy and, upon leaving, signed with Lyon, where he won four Ligue 1 titles. After two years at Marseille, Ben Arfa joined English club Newcastle United on loan for the 2010-11 season with a view to a permanent deal. Ben Arfa is a former French youth international having played at all levels. Ben Arfa was called up to the senior team for the first time in October 2007 for a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against the Faroe Islands. Ben Arfa began training at ASV Châtenay-Malabry. In 1998, Ben Arfa joined sporting club AC Boulogne-Billancourt. While training at Clairefontaine during the weekdays, Ben Arfa played for FC Versailles on the weekends.  At 15 and already labeled a prodigy, Ben Arfa joined Lyon, a club the which had just won its first ever Ligue 1 championship.

La Provence later reported That Ben Arfa had in fact missed training in Lyon on 30 June, Confirming his intentions. Ben Arfa's play during the 2010 portion of the season earned praise from both Deschamps and sporting director Jose Anigo. On 10 January 2010, Ben Arfa scored his first goal of the season against amateur club Trélissac in the Coupe de France . Later That month, Ben Arfa scored an away goal in the first leg of the club's UEFA Europa League tie against Danish club FC København. In the return leg in Marseille, Ben Arfa struck again, scoring the opening goal in the 43rd minute. Marseille won the match 3-1 and the tie 6-2 on aggregate. On 27 February, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille won all four of the league matches the team contested starting with Ben Arfa all of them. On 7 April, Ben Arfa converted a penalty in a 3-0 win over Sochaux. Ben Arfa Appeared as a substitute in the match.

On 22 July 2010, reports surfaced suggesting That English club Newcastle United were looking to sign Ben Arfa. Five days later, Ben Arfa's agent declared That Newcastle were indeed interested in the player, along with German clubs Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen, Turkish club Galatasaray, and Italian club AC Milan. After continuing his rehabilitation during the summer, ahead of the 2011-12 season, Ben Arfa began participating in friendly matches with the senior team. Ben Arfa ventured back to his home country to rehab the injury and returned to Newcastle on 18 September. Ben Arfa made his season debut in the match against Nottingham Forest Appearing as a substitute. On 26 December 2011, after going the majority of the fall campaign without scoring a goal, Ben Arfa scored his first goal of the season in a 2-0 away win over Bolton.

On 7 January 2012, Ben Arfa scored Newcastle's opening goal in its FA Cup third round tie against Blackburn Rovers. On 22 January 2012, Ben Arfa scored in Newcastle's 5-2 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. Two months later, Ben Arfa scored the opener in Newcastle's away league match against Arsenal. The hosts, however, won the match 2-1. Two weeks later, on Easter Monday, Ben Arfa scored again against Bolton Wanderers.  Ben Arfa has earned caps with all of France's youth teams. With the under-16 team, he made ten appearances scoring seven goals. Ben Arfa made his debut with the team at the 2003 edition of the Aegean Cup in Turkey. At the Montaigu Tournament, Ben Arfa scored a team-leading six goals. He scored two goals in the team's 8-0 win over Gabon in the opening match. In Following the match, Ben Arfa scored the final goal in the team's 3-0 win over Russia and, in the final group stage match, bagged another double in a 3-1 victory over England.

Ben Arfa was, however, omitted from Domenech's final 23-man Euro 2008 squad on 28 May. After going nearly two years without representing France internationally, on 5 August 2010, Ben Arfa was called up to the senior team by new manager Laurent Blanc for the team's friendly match against Norway on 11 August 2010.  Ben Arfa made his return to the team in the match Appearing as a half-time substitute for Moussa Sissoko. He scored the opening goal of the match in a 2-1 defeat.

Personal information
Full name Hatem Ben Arfa
Date of birth 7 March 1987 (age 25)
Place of birth Clamart, France
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Winger

Club information
Current club Newcastle United
Number 10

Youth career
1994-1996 ASV Châtenay-Malabry
CF 92 1996-1998 Montrouge
1998-1999 AC Boulogne-Billancourt
INF Clairefontaine 1999-2002
2002-2004 Lyon

Senior career
years Team
2004-2008 Lyon 64 (7)
Marseille 2008-2011 63 (9)
2010-2011 Newcastle United (loan) 4 (1)
2011-Newcastle United 21 (5)

National team
2002-2003 France U16 10 (7)
2003-2004 France U17 17 (11)
2005 France U18 4 (0)
2005-2006 France U19 6 (1)
2007 France U21 4 (0)
2007-France 8 (2)

Honours

Club
Lyon
     Ligue 1 (4): 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
     Coupe de France (1): 2007-08
     Trophée des champions (2): 2005-06, 2006-07

Marseille
     Ligue 1 (1): 2009-10
     Coupe de la Ligue (1): 2009-10
     Trophée des Champions (1): 2010

International
France
     UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship (1): 2004

Individual
     UNFP Young Player of the Year (1): 2007-08
     UNFP Player of the Month (1): February 2010

Posted in: AC Boulogne-Billancourt,ASV Châtenay-Malabry,Clamart,France,INF Clairefontaine,Lyon,Montrouge,Newcastle United