Zoubeir Baya
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zoubeir Baya (or Beya) | ||
| Date of birth | 15 May 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | M'saken, Tunisia | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1981–1991 | CS M'saken | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1997 | Etoile du Sahel | 127 | (34) |
| 1997–2001 | SC Freiburg | 114 | (21) |
| 2001–2002 | Besiktas J.K. | 26 | (2) |
| 2002–2005 | Etoile du Sahel | 52 | (13) |
| 2005–2006 | CS M'saken | ||
| National team | |||
| 1994–2002 | Tunisia | 81 | (27) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Zoubeir Baya (or Beya) (Arabic: زبير بية) (born 15 May 1971 in M'saken) is a football player with a distinguished career as one of Tunisia's most accomplished soccer exports. Baya, an attacking midfielder, displayed considerable skill and enterprise on the international scene and provided the North African nation with vast international experience.
Twice named Tunisian Footballer of the Year, Baya suited up for his country at the 1998 World Cup in France and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was also a key member of Tunisian sides that competed at the 1998, 2000 and 2002 African Nations Cup finals. He made his international swansong at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, retiring shortly afterwards.
Baya began his soccer career at Etoile de Sahel, helping the Tunisian club win the African Cup Winners' Cup. He made his debut for Tunisia on 4 September 1994 against Guinea-Bissau where he scored his first international goal. Over the past eight years, he has become an integral player for his country, earning 81 caps and scoring 18 goals for his country.
His hard work at Etoile de Sahel did not go unnoticed, as 2. Bundesliga club SC Freiburg signed him to a contract in 1997. In four seasons in Germany, Baya established himself as a star player and a regular starter, scoring 21 goals.
In 2001, Baya was on the move again, this time venturing to Turkey after signing with Besiktas. Baya was instrumental in helping Tunisia qualify for its second consecutive World Cup finals. He started in all eight games during the qualification round and scored six goals, finishing as his country's top goal scorer and one of the bright spots on a team wracked by inconsistency in the previous year. After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he returned to Etoile de Sahel to play out the rest of his playing career.
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