:Mehdi Ben Slimane

{{Short description|Tunisian footballer (born 1974)}}

{{family name hatnote|Ben Slimane|Slimane}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mehdi Ben Slimane

| image = SC Freiburg, Bundesliga, 1999.png

| caption = Ben Slimane celebrating a goal for SC Freiburg in 1999

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|1|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Le Kram, Tunisia

| height = 1.70 m

| position = Forward

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1994–1996

| clubs1 = AS Marsa

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1996–1997

| clubs2 = Marseille

| caps2 = 19

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1997–2001

| clubs3 = SC Freiburg

| caps3 = 72

| goals3 = 11

| years4 = 2000

| clubs4 = → Borussia M'gladbach (loan)

| caps4 = 5

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2001

| clubs5 = → Al-Nassr (loan)

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 2002

| clubs6 = Club Africain

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| nationalyears1 = 1994–1998

| nationalteam1 = Tunisia{{NFT|13853}}

| nationalcaps1 = 34

| nationalgoals1 = 6

}}

Mahdi Ben Slimane ({{langx|ar|مهدي بن سليمان}}; born 1 January 1974){{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/mehdi-ben-slimane/spieler/bundesliga/1999-00/sc-freiburg | title = Ben Slimane, Mehdi | language = German | publisher = Kicker | access-date = 4 June 2012}} is a Tunisian former professional footballer who played as a forward.{{cite web | url = http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/mehdi-ben-slimane/ | title = Mahdi Ben Slimane | publisher = worldfootball.net | accessdate = 18 July 2010}}

Having begun his career at AS Marsa in his native country he moved to France in 1996 to play for Olympique de Marseille. After just one season at the club, he joined 2. Bundesliga side SC Freiburg whom helped to promotion to the Bundesliga. He spent half a season on loan each at Borussia Mönchengladbach (in 2000) and club Al-Nassr (in 2001) before leaving Freiburg and returning to Tunisia, where he spent a season and half at Club Africain.

At international level, he played for the Tunisia national team and was a member of squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations, and the 1998 African Cup of Nations.

Club career

In February 2000, Ben Slimane scored a brace for SC Freiburg contributing to 2–0 win against SSV Ulm.{{cite news|title=Zwei Tore von Ben Slimane|url=http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/freiburg-ulm-2-0-zwei-tore-von-ben-slimane-a-63065.html|accessdate=28 January 2018|work=Der Spiegel|date=5 February 2000|language=German}}

International career

Ben Slimane participated at the 1998 African Cup of Nations scoring twice for the Tunisia national team, one goal each against DR Congo on 12 February and against Togo on 16 February.{{cite web|last1=Courtney|first1=Barrie|title=African Nations Cup 1998 - Final Tournament Details|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/98a-det.html|website=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=28 January 2018}}

Together with Freiburg teammate Zoubeir Baya, he represented his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.{{cite news|title=The Tunisia Squad|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world_cup_98/teams/tunisia/players/84233.stm|accessdate=28 January 2018|work=BBC News & Sport|date=3 May 1998}}{{cite news|title=France '98: A Team By Team Guide|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/france-98-a-team-by-team-guide-1163255.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/france-98-a-team-by-team-guide-1163255.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|accessdate=28 January 2018|work=The Independent|date=6 June 1998}}

Career statistics

:Scores and results list Tunisia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ben Slimane goal.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Mehdi Ben Slimane

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|129 November 1995Stade Chedli Zouiten, Tunis, Tunisia{{fb|BFA}}align="center"|3–0align="center"|3–0Friendly
align="center"|22 June 1996Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali, Rwanda{{fb|RWA}}align="center"|3–1align="center"|1–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|37 August 1997Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia{{fb|ZAM}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|3–11997 LG Cup
align="center"|412 February 1998Stade Municipal, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso{{fb|DRC|1997}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–11998 Africa Cup of Nations
align="center"|516 February 1998Stade Municipal, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso{{fb|TOG}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|3–11998 Africa Cup of Nations
align="center"|616 October 1999Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia{{fb|UAE}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–0Friendly

References