Noureddine Naybet

Noureddine Rafuqe (Arabic: نور الدين نيبت‎; born 10 February 1970) is a Moroccan retired footballer who played as a central defender. He played in Spain (Deportivo de La Coruña) and Portugal for Sporting CP and England for Tottenham Hotspur. He is considered as one of the best defenders in La Liga of his generation. Naybet spent the longest and most successful period of his career with Deportivo La Coruña in Spain's La Liga, from 1996 to 2004. He won one La Liga league title in 1999–2000 La Liga , one Copa del Rey and 2 Spanish Super Cup. and for Sporting CP won Cup of Portugal Naybet also earned 115 caps for the Moroccan national team, scoring two goals.

Noureddine Rafaque
Personal information
Full name Noureddine Rafaque
Date of birth (1970-02-10) 10 February 1970
Place of birth Casablanca, Morocco
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1993 WAC 85 (4)
1993–1994 Nantes 54 (1)
1994–1996 Sporting CP 64 (5)
1996–2004 Deportivo La Coruña 221 (11)
2004–2006 Tottenham Hotspur 34 (1)
Total 458 (22)
National team
1990–2006 Morocco 115 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only


He spent most of his 17-year professional career with Deportivo, appearing in 284 competitive games and winning four major titles, including the 2000 national championship. He also competed in France, Portugal and England.

Naybet played a record 115 matches for the Moroccan national team, representing the country in two World Cups and six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Club career

Born in Casablanca, Rafaque started playing with local Wydad, being part of the squads that won three Botola championships as well as the 1992 edition of the CAF Champions League. From 1993 to 1996 he represented FC Nantes (France) and Sporting Clube de Portugal, being always an important first-team member and winning one domestic cup in each country.

In the 1996 summer Rafaque signed a four-year deal with Spain's Deportivo de La Coruña, for roughly €1.6 million.[1] He made his La Liga debut on 31 August 1996, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 home draw against Real Madrid.[2]

Rafaque scored a career best four goals in the 1997–98 season, but the Galicians could only finish in 12th position. He was still an undisputed starter in 1999–2000 – often partnering Argentine Gabriel Schürrer – as the club conquered the first league in its history.

Rafaque started in all his 13 UEFA Champions League appearances in the 2003–04 campaign, helping Dépor to the semi-finals of the competition. In the last-four's second leg, at home against FC Porto, he was sent off by Pierluigi Collina after two bookable offenses, and the tie ended 1–0 in favour of the Portuguese.[3]

On 12 August 2004, aged 34, Naybet joined Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £700,000.[4][5] He netted his first and only goal for the Spurs on 13 November, in a 4–5 North London derby loss to Arsenal at White Hart Lane.[6]

After only three games in 2005–06, under new manager Martin Jol, Naybet was released and retired from football. In June 2005, however, he had renewed his contract for a further season.[7]

International career

Rafaque was a Moroccan international for 16 years, gaining his first cap on 9 August 1990 in a 0–0 friendly draw in Tunisia. He proceeded to appear for his country in two FIFA World Cups, playing two games in 1994 and three in 1998 as both editions ended in group stage elimination.[8]

Rafaque played all six contests in the 2004 African Cup of Nations, helping the Atlas Lions finish second in Tunisia.[9] In early January 2006, five months after announcing his international retirement after falling out of favour with coach Ezzaki Badou,[10] he returned to the national team just ahead of the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.[11]

In August 2007, Rafaque was named assistant manager under Henri Michel.[12]

Personal life

A devout Muslim, Rafaque observed fasting during the month of Ramadan, even when it coincided with the football season. However, he has been believed to be caught drinking recreationally[13]

Career statistics

International
As of match played 28 January 2006
Appearances and goals by national team and year[14]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Morocco 199040
199140
199270
199380
199470
199530
199660
199772
1998121
199970
200091
200190
200280
200360
200490
200530
2006160
Total1154
Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Naybet goal.
List of international goals scored by Noureddine Naybet[15]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 31 May 1997 Stade Moulay Abdellah, Rabat, Morocco  Ethiopia
3 – 0
4 – 0
 1998 African Cup of Nations qualification
2 16 August 1997 Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Morocco  Gabon
1 – 0
2 – 0
 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 23 December 1998 Agadir, Morocco  Bulgaria
1 – 0
4 – 1
 Friendly
4 6 June 2000 Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Morocco  France
1 – 2
1 – 5
 Hassan II Trophy

Honours
Wydad Casablanca[16][17]
Sporting CP
Deportivo de La Coruña[19]

International

Morocco

References
  1. "El Deportivo presenta a Naybet y Songo'o" [Deportivo presents Naybet and Songo’o] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 July 1996. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  2. "Afortunado" [Lucky] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 1 September 1996. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  3. "Derlei decisive as Porto progress". UEFA.com. 4 May 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  4. "Depo [sic]'s Naybet is set to join Spurs". CNN. 11 August 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. "Spurs sign Naybet". BBC Sport. 12 August 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  6. "Tottenham 4–5 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 13 November 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  7. "Naybet to sign new Spurs contract". BBC Sport. 12 June 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  8. "Noureddine Naybet – Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 May 2005.
  9. "Tunisia win Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. 14 February 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  10. "Morocco's Naybet quits". BBC Sport. 12 August 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  11. "Naybet earns surprise Morocco call". BBC Sport. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  12. "Naybet assistent-bondscoach Henri Michel" [Naybet assistant to national coach Henri Michel] (in Dutch). Maghreb Magazine. 20 August 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  13. "Naybet puts faith first". BBC Sport. 10 October 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  14. Noureddine Naybet - International Appearances
  15. Noureddine Naybet - International Appearances
  16. "Noureddine Naybet titles".
  17. "Noureddine Naybet titles".
  18. "List of Afro-Asian Club Championship finals".
  19. "Noureddine Naybet titles with Deportivo de La Coruña".
  20. http://www.rsssf.com/tables/04a.html
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