Biography
Who is Hillal Soudani?
Early life and Algerian career
Hillal Soudani was born in Chlef, Algeria. He began his football path in the junior ranks of ASO Chlef, his hometown club. In May 2006, at age 19, he made his first team debut as a substitute against USM Annaba during the 2005 to 2006 Algerian Championnat National season. By 2008, he earned recognition as the Young Player of the Year by DZFoot after scoring 11 goals across 24 matches.
His performance in the Algerian league continued to improve, and he eventually helped ASO Chlef win the league title in the 2010 to 2011 season. During that specific campaign, he scored 18 goals, which made him the league's top scorer. His strong form eventually led to interest from clubs abroad, including a trial with French club Le Mans FC in 2011.
Time in Portugal and Croatia
In August 2011, Hillal signed a three-year contract with the Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães. He made his official debut shortly after in a UEFA Europa League match against Atlético Madrid. While in Portugal, he helped the team secure the Taça de Portugal in 2013 by scoring an equalizer against Benfica in the final. This victory was a major highlight of his time there.
Following his success in Portugal, he moved to the Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb in May 2013. He enjoyed significant success there, winning multiple league championships and the Croatian Cup. During his time in Croatia, he became a productive scorer, especially achieving a career-best 17 league goals during the 2016 to 2017 season. He also proved crucial in UEFA Champions League qualifying matches, scoring decisive goals to help his team progress through various stages of the competition.
International and later club career
Hillal Soudani made his international debut for the Algeria national team in 2011 during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Throughout his international career, he participated in several editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In total, he earned 56 international caps and scored 24 goals for his country, establishing himself as one of Algeria's top goalscorers.
Later in his career, he played for Nottingham Forest in England, Olympiacos in Greece, and Maribor in Slovenia. During his tenure at Olympiacos, he scored five goals in the Super League Greece before suffering an ACL injury in 2020. After leaving Olympiacos, he joined Maribor in 2023, where he continued to compete in European competitions and domestic league matches, maintaining a presence in professional football.
Birthday and age
Hillal Soudani was born on November 25, 1987, which makes Hillal 38 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Hillal shares the date with 43 other famous people.
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