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Karim ZianiAlgerian footballer, midfielder
Date of Birth: 17.04.1982
Country:  Algeria |
Content:
- Biography of Karim Ziani
- Move to Ligue 2
- Move to Marseille
- Move to Wolfsburg
- Loan Spells and International Career
Biography of Karim Ziani
Early Life and CareerKarim Ziani is an Algerian football player, currently playing as a midfielder for Orleans, a club in the French Ligue 2. He was born in Sevres, France, but has Algerian (Kabyle) roots. Ziani started his career at Racing Club de Paris, where he caught the attention of scouts from Troyes in 1998. After playing several seasons in the youth team, Ziani was promoted to the first team and became a regular player for Troyes in the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons.
Move to Ligue 2
However, after Troyes got relegated from Ligue 1, Ziani lost his place in the starting lineup and was loaned out to Lorient, another Ligue 2 club, in the middle of the 2004-2005 season. During his two seasons at Lorient, Ziani established himself as one of the team's best players, helping them gain promotion to Ligue 1. In the 2005-2006 season, he was named the best player in Ligue 2.
Move to Marseille
Ziani had the opportunity to continue his career at Nantes and Saint-Etienne, but he ultimately joined Sochaux, where his former coach Alain Perrin was in charge. After one season at Sochaux, where he played 38 matches and scored 8 goals, Ziani caught the attention of Marseille, one of the top teams in French football. On June 29, 2007, he signed for Marseille for a fee of $11 million. Ziani frequently appeared in the team under coach Eric Gerets, but injuries hindered his progress. He played 62 matches and scored 9 goals in his two seasons at Marseille.
Move to Wolfsburg
In 2009, Ziani decided to change leagues and moved to Wolfsburg, a Bundesliga club that was the reigning champion of Germany at the time. Coach Armin Veh expressed his excitement about signing Ziani, stating that he would fit well into the team and help them achieve their goals. The transfer fee was €7 million. However, Ziani's first season in Germany did not go as planned, as he only played 9 matches for Wolfsburg. There were rumors of a possible move to PSG, Monaco, or Saint-Etienne in the spring of 2010, but Ziani remained at Wolfsburg.
Loan Spells and International Career
In September 2010, Ziani suffered a serious thigh injury and was sidelined for a long period of time. In early 2011, without any playing time, he was loaned out to Turkish club Kayserispor.
Ziani made his debut for the Algerian national team in 2003, playing in a friendly match against Belgium. In 2004, he participated in the Africa Cup of Nations, where Algeria reached the quarterfinals and Ziani was named the best player in his position. He scored his first goal for the national team in a qualifying match for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, converting a penalty against Gambia. Ziani also scored three goals in the qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including a brace against Liberia and a goal against Rwanda. He was part of the successful Algerian team that reached the semifinals of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Ziani also represented Algeria at the 2010 World Cup, playing in all three matches.
