Adel Sellimi
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Adel Sellimi | ||
| Date of birth | 16 November 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Tunis, Tunisia | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1990 | Club Africain | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1990–1996 | Club Africain | 144 | (61) |
| 1996–1998 | FC Nantes Atlantique | 40 | (2) |
| 1998–1999 | Real Jaén | 48 | (32) |
| 1999–2002 | SC Freiburg | 108 | (27) |
| 2002–2004 | Club Africain | 51 | (29) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1992–2002 | Tunisia | 71 | (20) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 February 2008 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 April 2007 |
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Adel Sellimi (Arabic: عادل السليمي) was born on 16 November 1972 in the Bab Jedid district of Tunis. As a child, he drew inspiration from the 1978 World Cup team who became the first African nation to win a World Cup match. At the age of 10, he joined his first club, Club Africain of Tunis, and he stayed there for the next 14 years, picking up two Tunisian league titles and one Tunisia Cup along the way.
His quick pace, strength on the ball and creativity earned him a call-up to the national team, and he earned his first cap in September 1993, during a match against Germany. Following a promising performance he carved out a virtually permanent place for himself in the country's national team for the next eleven years.
Tunisians grew to appreciate his discretion in life outside football as a modest and determined professional. On the pitch, he singularly distinguished himself at international level during the 1996 African Cup of Nations finals in South Africa as one of the best players of the tournament. Sellimi became a household name throughout the country, a skillful and talented bright spark who carried the team to the final of the tournament for the second time in their history. Sellimi struck twice in the semi-final against Zambia, and was widely considered one of the best players in the tournament.
This movement into the limelight earned the player a transfer to French Ligue 1 side FC Nantes Atlantique, following another impressive showing at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. But his move to France marked the start of a long barren period. Although the Nantes fans dubbed him "The Lung" on account of the distance he clocked up during matches, he never really settled in at his new club. He hit just two goals in 30 appearances in his first season, and failed to achieve the kind of success he had enjoyed back home in Tunisia. After another disappointing season in 1997/98, Sellimi left Nantes for Spanish second division side Real Jaén. It was here that he got some first-class matches, and finally found form. This surge in form earned him a call-up to the 1998 World Cup squad, where he put in steady performances against England and Romania.
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