:Talal El Karkouri
{{short description|Moroccan footballer (born 1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Talal El Karkouri
| image = Talal El Karkouri 2009.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = El Karkouri lining up for Morocco in 2009
| height = 1.86 m
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|07|08}}
| birth_place = Casablanca, Morocco
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = Centre-back
| youthyears1=
| youthclubs1=
| years1 = 1994–1999
| years2 = 1995–1997
| years3 = 1999–2000
| years4 = 2000–2004
| years5 = 2000–2001
| years6 = 2003
| years7 = 2004–2007
| years8 = 2006
| years9 = 2007–2011
| years10 = 2011–2012
| clubs1 = Raja Casablanca
| clubs2 = → Ittihad Tanger (loan)
| clubs3 = Servette
| clubs4 = Paris Saint-Germain
| clubs5 = → Aris (loan)
| clubs6 = → Sunderland (loan)
| clubs7 = Charlton Athletic
| clubs8 = → Al-Gharafa (loan)
| clubs9 = Qatar SC
| clubs10 = Umm-Salal
| caps1 = ? | goals1 = ?
| caps2 = ? | goals2 = ?
| caps3 = 77 | goals3 = 1
| caps4 = 113 | goals4 = 2
| caps5 = 11 | goals5 = 0
| caps6 = 8 | goals6 = 0
| caps7 = 78 | goals7 = 8
| caps8 = ? | goals8 = ?
| caps9 = 77 | goals9 = 12
| caps10 = ? | goals10 = ?
| totalcaps = 364 | totalgoals = 23
| nationalyears1 = 2000–2009
| nationalteam1 = Morocco[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/maro-karkouri-intl.html Talal El Karkouri - International Appearances]
| nationalcaps1 = 53 | nationalgoals1 = 5
| managerclubs1 = Umm Salal SC
| manageryears1 = 2016–2018
| managerclubs2 = Umm Salal SC
| manageryears2 = 2023–
}}
Talal El Karkouri ({{langx|ar|طلال القرقوري}}, born 8 July 1976) is a Moroccan former professional footballer and former coach of Qatar Stars League club Umm Salal SC. He played top-flight football in Morocco, France, Greece, England and Qatar before retiring in 2012. He made his international debut for Morocco in 2000, and earned 53 caps, playing at three African Cups of Nations.
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Casablanca, El Karkouri started his career with Raja Casablanca, and was discovered by French club Paris Saint-Germain in 2000. He played in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League, but after failing to capture a regular place he was sent on loan to Aris in Greece.
On 31 January 2003 he was loaned to Sunderland{{cite news|title=Sunderland bolster defence|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/2713231.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=31 January 2003|accessdate=24 August 2011}} of the Premier League until the end of the season. His spell was affected by injury, and he was released on 26 May after the club were relegated.{{Cite web|url=http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=268242&src=desktop|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104090740/http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=268242&src=desktop|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2013|title=ESPNFC: Soccer Sunderland release defender El Karkouri|language=EN|access-date=2018-05-14}} The Black Cats lost in all eight of his appearances.{{cite news|last1=Davie|first1=Chris|title=Aston Villa's Jack Grealish sets unwanted Premier League record|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/premier-league/2016/05/18/23687422/aston-villas-jack-grealish-sets-unwanted-premier-league|accessdate=19 May 2016|publisher=Goal.com|date=18 May 2016}}
=Charlton=
In the summer of 2004, he was bought by Charlton Athletic of the Premier League for £1 million.{{cite news|title=Charlton sign El Karkouri|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/3885449.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=11 July 2004|accessdate=24 August 2011}} He scored 5 goals in his debut season at Charlton, starting with the only goal in a win over Blackburn Rovers on 27 September 2004, by heading Danny Murphy's corner.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3661824.stm | work=BBC News | title=Charlton 1-0 Blackburn | date=27 September 2004}} He also scored the club's goal of the season against Arsenal.
On 6 April 2006, having made only 12 appearances all season, he was loaned to Al-Gharafa in Qatar.{{Cite web|url=http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=363966&src=desktop|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131102015909/http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=363966&src=desktop|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2013|title=ESPNFC: Soccer El Karkouri leaves Addicks for Qatar|language=EN|access-date=2018-05-14}}
On 30 December 2006, El Karkouri was given a yellow card by referee Rob Styles for an act of simulation in a home match against Aston Villa involving Villa defender Olof Mellberg. He was accused of a similar act against Reading on 9 April 2007 later in the same season, this time involving Reading striker Leroy Lita, who headbutted him.
Reading boss Steve Coppell accused El Karkouri of faking a 'death roll' and claimed that he would have needed treatment in intensive care had Lita headbutted him.{{cite news | date=13 April 2007 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/reading/article1647621.ece | archive-url=https://archive.today/20110604114613/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/reading/article1647621.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 June 2011 | title=Irate Coppell lets rip over El Karkouri 'death roll' | newspaper=The Times | accessdate=13 April 2007 | author=Russell Kempson | location=London}} Lita urged the FA to do something about 'diving cheats' after being hit with the ban. He said "I didn't touch him, he went down like an idiot and it was cheating".{{cite news | date=16 April 2007 | url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=461151&CPID=8&clid=108&lid=&title=LITA+FURIOUS+WITH+FA | title=Lita Furious with FA | publisher=Sky Sports | accessdate=16 April 2007 | author=Lewis Rutledge }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The FA disagreed and banned the Reading striker for three games for violent conduct. Coppell did not apologise for his comments.
=Qatar=
On 10 June 2007, following his release and Charlton's relegation, El Karkouri signed a two-year contract with Qatar Sports Club.{{Cite web |url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/content/charlton-defender-el-karkouri-way-qatar-sc |title=Charlton defender el Karkouri on way to Qatar SC | Australia/Asia News | Tribal Football |access-date=2 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103074100/http://www.tribalfootball.com/content/charlton-defender-el-karkouri-way-qatar-sc |archive-date=3 November 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
On 11 September 2011, after four seasons with Qatar SC, El Karkouri signed a one-year deal with another Qatari club, Umm-Salal.{{Cite web |url=http://www.qfa.com.qa/el-karkouri-signs-with-umm-salal-.aspx |title=QFA | Qatar Football Association - el Karkouri signs with Umm-Salal |access-date=2 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104031411/http://www.qfa.com.qa/el-karkouri-signs-with-umm-salal-.aspx |archive-date=4 November 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
On 25 May 2012, El Karkouri announced his retirement from professional football.
International career
El Karkouri was capped 53 times and scored 5 goals for Morocco. He was part of the team that finished second in the 2004 African Nations Cup.
On 29 January 2008, he announced his retirement from international football, after his team's failure to qualify for the latter stages of the 2008 African Nations Cup, but he returned on 28 March 2009 playing the 2010 World Cup qualifications match against Gabon in Casablanca.
Career statistics
=Club=
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals | ||
| rowspan="10"|Morocco
|2000 | 4 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 4 | 0 |
| 2003 | 10 | 0 |
| 2004 | 11 | 2 |
| 2005 | 5 | 2 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2007 | 5 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Total||53||5 |
|---|
:Morocco score listed first, score column indicates score after each El Karkouri goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Talal El Karkouri !scope=col|No. !scope=col|Date !scope=col|Venue !scope=col|Opponent !scope=col|Score !scope=col|Result !scope=col|Competition !scope=col class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} | |||||||
| align=center|1 | 31 January 2004 | Stade Taïeb El Mhiri, Sfax, Tunisia | {{fb|BEN}} | align=center|4–0 | align=center|4–0 | 2004 Africa Cup of Nations | align=center| |
| align=center|2 | 4 September 2004 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | {{fb|TUN}} | align=center|1–1 | align=center|1–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | align=center| |
| align=center|3 | 3 September 2005 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | {{fb|BOT}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center|1–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | align="center" | |
| align=center|4 | 8 October 2005 | Stade 7 November, Radès, Tunisia | {{fb|TUN}} | align=center|2–1 | align=center|2–2 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | align=center| |
| align=center|5 | 17 October 2007 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | {{fb|NAM}} | align=center|2–0 | align=center|2–0 | Friendly | align=center| |
Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1537/Match%3D68072/index.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010923221506/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1537/Match%3D68072/index.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=23 September 2001
|title= Brescia 1-1 PSG
|publisher=UEFA
|access-date=16 June 2020}}
- Coupe de France: 2003–04{{cite web|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/match-direct/coupe-de-france/2003-2004/psg-chateauroux-live/59653|title=Résultat et résumé Paris-SG - Châteauroux, Coupe de France, Finale, Samedi 29 Mai 2004 |publisher=lequipe.fr|access-date=26 February 2021 }}
Morocco
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071117190352/http://www.cafc.co.uk/playerdisplay.ink?skip=6&season=2005%2F2006 Bio at Charlton]
- {{FIFA|176572}}
{{Navboxes colour
|title= Morocco squads
|bg=green
|fg=white
|bordercolor=red
|list1=
{{Morocco Squad 2004 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Morocco Squad 2006 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Morocco Squad 2008 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karkouri, Talal}}
Category:Footballers from Casablanca
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Moroccan men's footballers
Category:Morocco men's international footballers
Category:2004 African Cup of Nations players
Category:2006 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2008 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
Category:Moroccan expatriate men's footballers
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in France
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Category:Naturalized citizens of France
Category:French men's footballers
Category:Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players
Category:Paris Saint-Germain FC players
Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Super League Greece players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar
Category:Al-Gharafa SC players