Nacer Chadli

Nacer Chadli

Chadli playing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Nacer Chadli[1]
Date of birth	(1989-08-02) 2 August 1989
Place of birth	Liège, Belgium
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position	Attacking midfielder / Winger
Club information
Current team	West Bromwich Albion
Number	22
Youth career
1994–1998	JS Thier-à-Liège
1998–2005	Standard Liège
2005–2007	MVV
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2010	AGOVV Apeldoorn	90	(28)
2010–2013	Twente	84	(25)
2013–2016	Tottenham Hotspur	88	(15)
2016–	West Bromwich Albion	5	(4)
National team‡
2010	Morocco	1	(0)
2011–	Belgium	32	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:04, 15 October 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2016

Nacer Chadli (Arabic: ناصر الشاذلي‎‎; born 2 August 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays for Premier League club West Bromwich Albion and the Belgium national team as a winger.

He began his career in the Dutch Eerste Divisie with AGOVV Apeldoorn, and in 2010 transferred to top-flight FC Twente, where he won the KNVB Cup in his first season. In 2013, Chadli joined Tottenham.

Chadli played internationally for Morocco in 2010, but switched allegiance to Belgium the following year, since earning over 25 caps and playing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Apeldoorn

Chadli played his youth football at JS Thier-à-Liège, Standard Liège and MVV Maastricht. In the summer of 2007, he was contracted by Dutch second division club AGOVV Apeldoorn, who scouted him at MVV's youth academy. Here he was considered an emerging talent. When Chadli was tested by AGOVV, he went under the alias "Kaliffe," because technical manager Ted van Leeuwen was afraid other clubs would show their interest.^[3] Chadli scored his first goal in professional football for AGOVV, in a match against FC Volendam.

Twente

Chadli playing for Twente in 2011

In the summer of 2010, Chadli signed with FC Twente, and in the ensuing season became a first team player for the then reigning Eredivisie champions.^[4] His first Eredivisie goal was the winning one away at title rivals PSV.^[5] He made his European and Champions League debut in a 2–2 home draw against Internazionale on 14 September in the competition's group stage.^[6] On 29 September, he scored his first Champions League goal away at Tottenham Hotspur (4–1),^[7] and on 2 November scored his second at Werder Bremen in a 0–2 away victory.^[8] He later scored again in the Champions League against Tottenham from a free-kick on 7 December, the goal securing a draw for Twente at home, 3–3.

Tottenham Hotspur

On 21 July 2013, Tottenham Hotspur agreed a deal with Twente to sign Chadli for a transfer fee of £7 million.^[9] The club confirmed that subject to agreement of personal terms and a medical, Chadli would join the Spurs squad for pre-season training in Hong Kong.^[10] On 23 July, the club confirmed that Chadli had joined the squad which was participating in training sessions prior to the club taking part in the 2013 Premier League Asia Trophy.^[11] Chadli finally agreed terms on 26 July and became an official Tottenham player, later making his Spurs debut in a 5–2 friendly defeat to AS Monaco on 3 August.^[12] He made his Premier League debut on 18 August, the first match of the 2013–14 season, against Crystal Palace in a 1–0 win,^[13] then scored his first Premier League goal on 12 February 2014, a 0–4 win away to Newcastle United.^[14]

On 24 August 2014, the second matchday of the 2014–15 season, Chadli scored twice as Tottenham defeated Queens Park Rangers 4–0 at home.^[15] This was the start of a run of good form for Chadli, who went on to score several goals, including one against Tottenham's North London rivals Arsenal. The run of form, however, was cut short by injury, and before he could return to form, tragedy struck his family after his father died. Chadli slowly returned to form, scoring two goals in two matches against Newcastle United and Southampton, respectively, in late April to take his season total to 12, ten in the Premier League. Chadli increased his tally to 11 Premier League goals by rounding the goalkeeper in a 2–0 victory against Hull City on 16 May 2015.

West Bromwich Albion

On 29 August 2016, West Bromwich Albion agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Chadli for a club-record transfer fee of £13 million. ^[16] He made his debut in a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth.^[17] Chadli scored twice and got two assists on his home debut, only his second league appearance for the club which ended as a 4-2 win over West Ham United. ^[18]

International career

Chadli lining up for Belgium

A dual citizen of Belgium and Morocco, Chadli was thus able to represent either nation. He made his debut for Morocco side on 17 November 2010, in a 1–1 friendly draw against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park,^[19] and was named man of the match.^[20] On 28 January 2011, however, he announced his intention to represent Belgium at the international level, which was permitted because he had not yet played in a competitive match for Morocco. He made his debut for the Belgian squad for a 9 February friendly match against Finland.^[21]

Chadli has played as a striker for the Belgian national team,^[22] scoring his first international goal in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Azerbaijan in the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on 29 March 2011.

On 26 May 2014, Chadli scored what would have been his third international goal in a pre-2014 World Cup friendly against Luxembourg. The match, however, was later recognised as invalid as after coach Marc Wilmots had made seven substitutions instead of the permitted six.^[23]

On 13 May 2014, Chadli was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 World Cup.^[24] He started in midfield but was substituted at half time for Dries Mertens in the team's first game of the tournament, a 2–1 win over Algeria in Belo Horizonte.^[25]

Style of play

Chadli is a versatile midfielder who can play as an attacking midfielder, in a number 10 role, or as a winger on either flank. He is comfortable on both feet and has a good shot at his disposal. ^[26]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 15 May 2016^[27]

Notes

International goals

Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first.

International goals
Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	29 March 2011	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Azerbaijan	3–1	4–1	Euro 2012 qualification
2.	29 February 2012	Pankritio Stadium, Heraklion, Greece	Greece	1–1	1–1	Friendly
3.	10 October 2014	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Andorra	3–0	6–0	Euro 2016 qualification
Correct as of 10 October 2014

Honours

Club

Twente

• KNVB Cup: 2010–11
• Johan Cruijff Shield: 2011

References

External links

• Nacer Chadli career statistics at Soccerbase
  

Belgium squad – 2014 FIFA World Cup
1 Courtois 2 Alderweireld 3 Vermaelen 4 Kompany (c) 5 Vertonghen 6 Witsel 7 De Bruyne 8 Fellaini 9 Lukaku 10 Hazard 11 Mirallas 12 Mignolet 13 Bossut 14 Mertens 15 Van Buyten 16 Defour 17 Origi 18 Lombaerts 19 Dembélé 20 Januzaj 21 Vanden Borre 22 Chadli 23 Ciman Coach: Wilmots