New Delhi: Former Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb delivered one of the most inspiring stories of the Ligue 1 season as he scored in Lille’s 2-0 win at Rennes on Sunday. The 30-year-old returned to competitive football eight months after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Back in June 2024, Bentaleb was told that his career might end after a cardiac episode but he was cleared to resume his footballing career by the French Football Federation on Wednesday and he wasted no time after coming on in the 76th minute, just four minutes into the game and he netted the opening goal for his team.
The Algerian midfielder then ran to his dugout where his team-mates and coaching staff swarmed around him. Former Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom slid home a second goal six minutes later.
February 16: Nabil Bentaleb’s day 🇩🇿🥹 pic.twitter.com/bVkDukKeFn
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) February 16, 2025
After the match, Lille boss Bruno Genesio praised Bentaleb saying, “It’s worthy of a film. He deserved it, because I don’t believe in luck, he believed in himself.” He further added that Nabil’s goal put them on cloud nine, it’s hard for him to describe it in words. This moment could mark the end of their season but Nabil’s goal will remain engraved not just in the history of the club but in his mind as well.
Bentaleb started his senior career at Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, making 46 appearances before joining Schalke in 2017. He then had a brief loan spell at Newcastle United and a two-year stint at Angers before joining Lille in 2023. Nabil was presented with the Man of the Match trophy after the match and shared his emotions, expressing immense joy at such a memorable return.
On aime le football 😍
Retour sur les terrains 8 mois après un arrêt cardiaque ☑️
Buteur 4 minutes après son entrée ☑️
Homme du match ☑️T’es un soldat @nabilbentaleb42 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QS0Nc5V8eH
— LOSC (@losclive) February 16, 2025
The Algerian international said, “I hadn’t envisioned the image of scoring, but I had visualized the moment of returning to help my teammates for the last eight months. I worked tremendously hard in recent months to achieve such results. It was incredible, memories that will stay with me for life.”
The win didn’t only earn three points to help Lille reclaim fifth place but also signified a personal victory for Bentaleb who is now equipped with a defibrillator, proving that the most heartwarming stories in football often surpass fiction.
From cardiac arrest to goalscorer! Nabil Bentaleb’s remarkable return to football as he nets for Lille just months after a life-threatening event. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
