Ali Benarbia

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Ali Benarbia (born 8 October 1968) is an Algerian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He later became a TV presenter for Al Jazeera Sports in Doha. He was nicknamed “the Algerian Magician” during his time at Manchester City.

Early life
Benarbia was born in Oran, Algeria, and his family comes from Sidi Bel Abbès. When he was one, his family moved to the south of France, where he started playing football on the streets.

Club career
- Martigues (1985–1995): He helped Martigues reach Ligue 1 after winning the second division title in 1992–93.
- Monaco (1995–1998): Won the French league title in 1996–97 and the 1997 Trophée des Champions. He was part of a strong Monaco side that beat Manchester United in 1998 on away goals.
- Bordeaux (1998–1999): Won the Division 1 title in 1998–99.
- Paris Saint-Germain (1999–2001): Served as captain and played alongside players like Jay-Jay Okocha and Nicolas Anelka.
- Manchester City (2001–2003): Became a fan favourite, helped City win the First Division and gain promotion to the Premier League, and won the club’s Player of the Year award in 2001–02.
- Al-Rayyan (2003–2005): Moved to Qatar to continue his career.
- Qatar SC (2005–2006): Finished his playing career before retiring.

International career
Benarbia represented Algeria, earning seven caps between 2000 and 2001. He made his international debut in a 2002 African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso. He has spoken about the challenges of playing for Algeria during difficult times.

Honours
- With Martigues: Division 2 title (1992–93)
- With Monaco: Division 1 title (1996–97), Trophée des Champions (1997)
- With Bordeaux: Division 1 title (1998–99)
- With Paris Saint-Germain: UEFA Intertoto Cup (2001)
- With Manchester City: Football League First Division title (2001–02)
- Individual: French Division 1 Player of the Year (1998–99); PFA Team of the Year (First Division, 2001–02); Manchester City Player of the Year (2001–02)

After football
Benarbia became a television presenter for Al Jazeera Sports in Doha, where he remains a notable former player and media figure.