Samy Faraj

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Samy Faraj

| fullname =

| image =

| caption =

| height = 1.78m

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2001|10|4}}

| birth_place = Croix, France

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Asteras Tripolis

| clubnumber = 27

| youthyears1 = 2010–2018

| youthclubs1 = Lille

| youthyears2 = 2018–2019

| youthclubs2 = Sochaux

| years1 = 2019–2024

| clubs1 = Sochaux II

| caps1 = 27

| goals1 = 12

| years2 = 2020–2024

| clubs2 = Sochaux

| caps2 = 8

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2023

| clubs3 = → Paris 13 Atletico (loan)

| caps3 = 7

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2024–

| clubs4 = Asteras Tripolis

| caps4 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2017

| nationalteam1 = Morocco U16

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2020

| nationalteam2 = Algeria U20

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| pcupdate = 25 August 2024

| ntupdate = 17:06, 1 June 2021 (UTC)

}}

Samy Faraj (born 4 October 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Super League club Asteras Tripolis. Born in France, Faraj represents Algeria internationally, after previously representing Morocco.

Club career

Faraj is a youth product of Lille since he was nine, and moved to Sochaux in 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://allezlille.fr/index.php/en/formation/1307-un-depart-surprise-d-un-jeune-de-la-formation|title=Départ surprise d'un jeune talent de la formation|website=allezlille.fr}} Faraj made his professional debut with Sochaux in a 1-1 Ligue 2 tie with Rodez AF on 19 September 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/09/19/france/ligue-2/fc-sochaux-montbeliard/rodez-aveyron-football/3287853/|title=Sochaux vs. Rodez - 19 September 2020 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com}}

On 7 January 2023, Faraj was loaned to Paris 13 Atletico in Championnat National.{{cite web|publisher=Sochaux|url=https://www.fcsochaux.fr/actualites/communique/samy-faraj-rejoint-en-pret-le-paris-13-atletico|title=SAMY FARAJ REJOINT EN PRÊT LE PARIS 13 ATLETICO|date=7 January 2023|access-date=5 February 2023|language=fr}}

On 2 January 2024, Faraj's contract with Sochaux was terminated by mutual consent.{{cite web|publisher=Sochaux|url=https://www.fcsochaux.fr/actualites/communique/samy-faraj-nest-plus-jaune-et-bleu|title=SAMY FARAJ N'EST PLUS JAUNE ET BLEU|trans-title=SAMY FARAJ IS NO LONGER YELLOW AND BLUE|date=2 January 2024|access-date=18 January 2024|language=fr}}

International career

Faraj was born in France to a Moroccan father and Algerian mother.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afriquesports.net/mercato/mercato-grand-espoir-du-losc-faraj-pourrait-rejoindre-la-belgique/|title=Mercato: Grand espoir du LOSC, Faraj pourrait rejoindre la Belgique|first=Mouhamed|last=Diallo|date=July 28, 2020}} He holds both French and Moroccan nationalities.{{Cite web |title=Samy FARAJ |url=https://www.unfp.org/joueur/samy-faraj-23012/ |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=unfp.org}} He represented the Morocco U16s at the 2017 Montaigu Tournament.

In December 2020, Faraj announced in an interview that he had chosen to play for Algeria.{{cite web|url=https://www.dzfoot.com/2020/12/03/samy-faraj-en-u20-le-projet-presente-par-la-faf-ma-convaincu-193427.php|title=Samy Faraj (EN U20) : " Le projet présenté par la FAF m'a convaincu "|date=December 3, 2020|accessdate=December 14, 2020|language=French|author=D Debba|publisher=DZfoot}} A few days later, Faraj was called up by the Algeria under-20 national team for the 2020 UNAF U-20 Tournament in Tunisia.{{cite web|url=http://www.faf.dz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Liste-UNAF-U20.pdf|title=LISTE STAGE DE L’EQUIPE NATIONALE DES U20|date=December 7, 2020|website=FAF.dz}}

Personal life

Faraj is the younger brother of the French youth international footballer Imad Faraj.{{Cite web|url=https://fr.hespress.com/112680-samy-faraj-une-etoile-montante-du-football-marocain.html|title=Samy Faraj, une étoile montante du football marocain|date=December 5, 2019|website=Hespress Français}}