Ismaël Bennacer
Ismaël Bennacer is a midfielder born in France who was named best player of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which Algeria won. With AC Milan he won the Italian league title in 2022. He was born on 1 December 1997 in Arles, in southern France, to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother.
Ismaël Bennacer is a midfielder born in France who was named best player of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which Algeria won. With AC Milan he won the Italian league title in 2022. He was born on 1 December 1997 in Arles, in southern France, to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother.
Bennacer grew up playing football in his home town, until Arsenal brought him to its academy in London.
After a loan to Tours, the young midfielder moved to Empoli, in Italy, to play every week. In 2019 AC Milan signed him.
Although he had played for French youth teams, he chose Algeria, which he later called the best sporting choice for him. At the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt he was named best player of the tournament.
With Milan he won Serie A, the Italian league, in 2022 and sometimes wore the captain's armband. Loans followed to Olympique de Marseille in 2025 and to Dinamo Zagreb, in Croatia, for the 2025-26 season.
In May 2026 he was left out of Algeria's World Cup squad. In September 2026, after leaving Milan, he signed for Al-Gharafa, in Qatar.
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