Syam Habib Ben Youssef (Tunisian Arabic: صيام الحبيب بن يوسف; born 31 March 1989) is a professional footballer who most recently played as a centre-back for Ligue 2 club Caen. Born in France, he played for the Tunisia national team from 2010 to 2019, scoring two goals in forty-eight caps.

Syam Ben Youssef
Ben Youssef with Tunisia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Sham Habib Ben Youssef[1]
Date of birth (1989-03-31) 31 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Marseille, France
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1995–2007 US Traminots Marseille
2007–2008 Bastia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Bastia 4 (0)
2009–2011 ES Tunis 27 (3)
2011–2012 Leyton Orient 9 (0)
2012–2015 Astra Giurgiu 67 (3)
2015–2017 Caen 35 (3)
2015–2016 Caen B 5 (2)
2017–2019 Kasımpaşa 73 (4)
2020 Denizlispor 4 (0)
2020–2021 CFR Cluj 7 (0)
2022 Beroe 13 (0)
2022 Quevilly-Rouen B 1 (0)
2022–2023 Quevilly-Rouen 27 (1)
2023–2024 Caen 4 (0)
International career
2008–2009 Tunisia U20 8 (0)
2010–2019 Tunisia 48 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 July 2019

Club career

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Bastia

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Born in Marseille, Ben Youssef passed by the Union sportif des traminots Marseille and the training center of SC Bastia.[2]

ES Tunis

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He joined ES Tunis on a two-year contract on 12 August 2009,[3] he made his professional debut in the Tunisian championship on 12 September 2009, against CS Sfaxien (4–0) at Stade 7 November, and scored his first goal. On 14 December, he received his first convocation with the national team.

Leyton Orient

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In 2012 Ben Youssef played for English club Leyton Orient,[4]

Astra Giurgiu

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He signed to Astra Giurgiu in Romania, where he remained three seasons, won 2013–14 Cupa României and discovered European competitions.[5]

Caen

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On 29 June 2015, free of any contract with the Romanian club, Ben Youssef committed for three seasons to Caen, he played his first match in Ligue 1 on 22 August against OGC Nice. He scored his first goal in the fifth day against Troyes AC.

Kasımpaşa

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On 5 July 2017, he agreed with Caen to cancel his contract and joined the Turkish club Kasımpaşa for three seasons.

Denizlispor

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Ben Youssef moved to Turkish club Denizlispor in 2020.

CFR Cluj

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On 4 November 2020, Ben Youssef joined Romanian club CFR Cluj.[6]

Beroe

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In February 2022, Ben Youssef signed with Bulgarian First League club Beroe.[7] He left Beroe at the end of the season.[8]

Return to Caen

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On 1 July 2023, Ben Youssef returned to Caen, signing a one-year contract with the club.[9]

International career

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With the Tunisia Ben Youssef started in 2013. He played his first African Cup in 2015, he participated also in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 17 November 2015, he scored his first goal with the Tunisian team in the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualification against Mauritania.

In June 2018 he was named in Tunisia’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[10][11]

Career statistics

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As of 17 July 2019[12]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Tunisia 2013 2 0
2014 9 0
2015 12 1
2016 4 0
2017 12 0
2018 7 0
2019 2 1
Total 48 2
Scores and results list Tunisia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ben Youssef goal.
List of international goals scored by Syam Ben Youssef[12]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 17 November 2015 Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia   Mauritania 1–0 2–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 22 March 2019 Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia   Eswatini 1–0 4–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

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ES Tunis

Astra Giurgiu

CFR Cluj

References

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  1. ^ a b "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Fiche de – Tunisie Ligue 1 2009/2010". www.kawarji.com (in French). Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Actualité Tunisie : News et info de la Tunisie – Radio Mosaique". www.mosaiquefm.net (in French). Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  4. ^ "O's Sign Defender Leacock". Leyton Orient F.C. 14 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Şi Astrei îi plac tunisienii!". Ziarul Prahova. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  6. ^ Mihaitalazarica (4 November 2020). "BUN VENIT, SYAM BEN YOUSSEF!" (in Romanian). CFR Cluj. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  7. ^ ""Берое" привлече Бен Юсеф". beroe.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Сиам Бен Юсеф с равносметка за престоя си в Берое". topsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  9. ^ "SYAM BEN YOUSSEF DE RETOUR AU SM CAEN" (in French). Stade Malherbe Caen. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ^ Crawford, Stephen (4 June 2018). "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad – Final 23-man lists". Goal. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  11. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (2 June 2018). "Tunisia World Cup squad: Leicester City's Benalouane in 23-man squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Syam Ben Youssef". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  13. ^ "FOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj a câștigat Supercupa României!" [PHOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj won the Romanian Supercup!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
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