Adel Sellimi

Adel Sellimi ( born November 16, 1972 in Le Kram, Tunis ) is a former Tunisian football player.

The club career

Adel Sellimi joined in 1983 at the age of ten, Club Africain, one of the most prestigious Tunisian football clubs to. From 1989 he trained with the first team and in 1990 joined his first league game use. In 1992, he won the Tunisian league and cup double. Until 1996 he remained loyal to his hometown club, won the championship again in farewell year and was extremely popular with the supporters because of its earthiness and his willingness to run. After the Summer Olympics Sellimi joined the French club FC Nantes.

Sellimi came in Ligue 1 can not cope, scored just two goals in 40 missions and was awarded to the Spanish second division side Real Jaén during the winter break of the season 1997 /98. Only at the Spanish club, he found his form and then moved up free transfer to the German first division club SC Freiburg.

At this time stood at the Breisgauern with Zoubaier Baya and Mehdi Ben Slimane two Tunisians already under contract. His " acquired " in Nantes already nicknamed the lungs, he also confirmed in Freiburg. He went wide way disturbed the build-up play of the opponent early and thus well suited to the then tactical concept of the SCF. However, he also had in Freiburg, as before in Nantes, start-up difficulties. He scored just one goal in 30 games and has been stamped by many as a wrong purchase. In the season 1999/2000 he was able to increase significantly, shot before the winter break nine goals and thus led the scoring charts. He was given the expiring contract of the Tunisian then the object of some exchange speculation, culminating in the fact that Gerhard Mayer -Vorfelder a change Sellimis to VfB Stuttgart posted without that already would have signed a contract. Despite a worse contract offer of sports clubs Sellimi was finally at the Freiburgers. In the second half of the season 1999/2000 he was however only to two other hits.

The following year, he played his most successful season at Freiburg. He contributed ten goals for surprising sixth place and managed thus to the SCF one UEFA Cup placement. However, the 2001/02 season was another low point in Sellimis career. He was frequently injured, came just five goals in 25 games and also increased with Freiburg in the Bundesliga from second.

After another long-lasting injury problems in the first half of the 2002/03 season with only three brief appearances in the second division Sellimi moved to winter break back to his hometown club, Club Africain, in which he trailed off his career. In Freiburg he played a total of 108 times in the Bundesliga, scoring 27 goals, which he is still one of the most successful strikers of the Freiburg Bundesliga history.

The National Players

Adel Sellimi made ​​his debut in the Tunisian national team in October 1992 in a World Cup qualifier against Benin (final score 5:1). Just over a year later, he played with his brother Samir at the African Cup of Nations 1994. Two years later, at the African Cup of Nations 1996 Sellimi played a great tournament, scored two goals, drew with Tunisia to the finals ( 0-2 against South Africa) and was a the best player of the tournament. Not least because he transferred to Nantes.

However, he found his way back until after his move to Real Jaén to its former strength, which he also secured the participation of the 1998 World Cup. Sellimi was in all three games of his land in use, but scored no hits and had to return home after the group stage.

Although he, at the request of the SC Freiburg decided not to participate in the African Cup of Nations 2002 2002 and was subsequently banned from the national team first, he was also at the 2002 World Cup squad in the Carthage Eagles. Again it was not possible while the Tunisian team to go beyond the first round, Sellimi came while part two inserts ( one A, a substitution ). A short time later, he resigned from the national team.

Achievements

• Tunisian champions: 1992, 1996
• Tunisian Cup Winners: 1992
• Olympian 1996
• At least 67 A- international matches for Tunisia between 1992 and 2003, 19 goals (?); World Cup participant in 1998 and 2002 (5 finals inserts, no goals )
• Vice - African champion in 1996, also African Cup participant in 1994 and 2000