Ahmed Faras

Ahmed Faras
Personal information
Full name Ahmed Faras
Date of birth (1946-12-07) 7 December 1946 (age 78)
Place of birth Mohammedia, Morocco
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1982 Chabab Mohammédia (127)
International career
1966–1979 Morocco 94 (36)
Medal record
Representing  Morocco
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 1976 Ethiopia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ahmed Faras (Arabic: أحمد فرس; born 7 December 1946) is a Moroccan former professional footballer who played as a striker for Chabab Mohammédia at club level and Morocco internationally.

Faras was named African Footballer of the Year in 1975. In 2006, Faras was selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African football players of the last 50 years.[1]

Club career

Faras played for Chabab Mohammédia between 1965 and 1982, winning the Moroccan League in 1981 and finishing as the league's top-scorer in 1969 and 1973. He retired in 1982, after spending 17 years with the club.

International career

Faras at the 1970 FIFA World Cup

Faras was a member of Morocco national team from 1965 to 1979, wearing the captain's armband for eight consecutive years, starting from 1971. At international level, Faras took part in the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico,[2] and the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich,[3] before leading his team to African Cup of Nations success in 1976. Faras scored a total of 42 goals in 94 games for his national side.[4]

1972 Summer Olympics

The Moroccan national team was placed in Group A, with West Germany, Malaysia, United States. Ahmed Faras played a major role in the 1972 Summer Olympics. He was the top scorer for the Moroccan national team with 3 goals scored all against Malaysia making it his first and only hat-trick for the National team.[5][6]

1976 Africa Cup of Nations

Morocco was placed in Group B. Morocco tied its first match against Sudan and won its second against Zaire. Morocco played the final game against Nigeria, to determine the group winner, and Morocco won by 3 goals to 1. In the final round Morocco defeated Egypt 2-1 with a goal scored by Faras in the 23rd minute. They played against Nigeria again and won 2-1 scored by Faras in the 82nd minute. Morocco was to play its final against Guinea and needed a tie to win the cup. The match ended in a tie and Morocco won the cup. Faras was named best player of the tournament and was the 2nd top goal-scorer.[7]

Career statistics

Main article: List of international goals scored by Ahmed Faras
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Morocco
1966 2 0
1967 6 1
1968 4 2
1969 7 1
1970 3 2
1971 9 4
1972 16 9
1973 8 5
1974 11 3
1975 7 4
1976 11 5
1977 1 0
1978 3 0
1979 6 6
Total 94 42

Honors

Chabab Mohammédia

Morocco

Individual

Records

References

  1. ^ "Meilleur joueur des 50 dernières années 14 Marocains en lice" (in French). Le Matin. 13 October 2006. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  2. ^ Ahmed Faras – FIFA competition record (archived)
  3. ^ "Ahmed Faras Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  4. ^ Ahmed Faras - Goals in International Matches
  5. ^ "Games of the XX. Olympiad – Football Tournament". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Olympic Football Tournament Munich 1972". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  7. ^ Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "Atlas Lions roared loudest in 1976". CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  8. ^ "IFFHS". IFFHS. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Morocco – Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 January 2022.