Abderrahmane Mahjoub

Q: When did Abderrahmane Mahjoub die?

Abderrahmane Mahjoub died on August 31, 2011 in Casablanca.

Q: How old was Abderrahmane Mahjoub when they died?

Abderrahmane Mahjoub was 82 years old at the time of death.

Q: When was Abderrahmane Mahjoub born?

Abderrahmane Mahjoub was born on April 25, 1929 in Casablanca.

Q: What was Abderrahmane Mahjoub's occupation?

Abderrahmane Mahjoub was an association football player.

Abderrahmane Mahjoub or Abderrahmane Belmahjoub (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بلمحجوب; 25 April 1929 – 31 August 2011) was a French and Moroccan international football midfielder.

Known as Prince du Parc (Prince of the Park) in his playing days for his dominant control of the midfield, he was regarded as one of the best Arab players of his generation, and one of the few who graced the sports fields of Europe in the 1950s and 1960s.

Career

Born in Casablanca, the young Mahjoub began playing on the streets of his home city with his brother Mohamed, who later played for Olympique Marseille in the late 1940s. Abderrahmane started his career with the Union Sportive Athlétique Casablanca in 1948, where he spent three seasons before moving to Europe to join RC Paris of the French first division, but it was his performances for OGC Nice in 1953 that caught the eye of French selectors making his international debut against Luxembourg in a World Cup Qualifier. He stepped out at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris in the blue of France alongside his Nice teammate Moroccan-born Just Fontaine. The midfielder was an instant success on his first appearance, assisting in the first goal in an 8–0 rout in only the second minute of the game, Mahjoub went on to play six other occasions for France including a 3–2 win over Mexico at the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland along with another Arab, Algerian Abdelaziz Bentifour.

After a season with Nice, where he was part of a French Cup winning side beating Larbi Ben Barek’s Olympique Marseille in the final, he rejoined Racing Club spending six successful seasons at the Paris club, reaching high as third place in the French first division in two consecutive seasons in 1958 and 1959. At the age of 31, the club thought the Moroccan’s best years were behind him, and let him go but he proved all his critics wrong by guiding SO Montpellier to the 1961 French Second Division title, and promotion to the top flight. Racing Club eventually bought back the player for a final season in 1963, before he returned to play for Wydad Casablanca, where he was later coach.

One of the greatest moments in his career came in a memorable 1962 World Cup Qualifier; when Abderrahman captained his native country Morocco against the star-studded Spain national team of Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskás, and Francisco Gento, before stepping onto the pitch he told his teammates to look at the flags of the two nations, planted in the ground at the same height “I want you to be like these flags, on the same level as the Spaniards”. Spain knocked out the Moroccan side but everyone at the time admired the Moroccan side for their style of play and their effort against the Spaniards. Abderrahman would later go on to coach the Moroccan national team.

In 2006, he was selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African football players of the last 50 years. He died on 31 August 2011.

Personal life

Mahjoub was married to the Algerian singer and actress Leila Al Jazairia.

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1.In which city was Abderrahmane Mahjoub born?

2.On what date did Abderrahmane Mahjoub pass away?

3.What nickname was Abderrahmane Mahjoub known by during his playing days?

4.Who was Abderrahmane Mahjoub's brother who played for Olympique Marseille?

5.In 1953, with which club did Abderrahmane Mahjoub catch the eye of French selectors?

6.Who was the wife of Abderrahmane Mahjoub?

7.Against which national team did Abderrahmane Mahjoub play his international debut?

8.Which club did Abderrahmane Mahjoub guide to the French Second Division title in 1961?

9.Which tournament did Abderrahmane Mahjoub play in alongside Abdelaziz Bentifour?

10.In what year was Abderrahmane Mahjoub selected as one of the best 200 African football players of the last 50 years?

11.How long did Abderrahmane Mahjoub spend at his first club, Union Sportive Athlétique Casablanca?

12.What was the final score in the 1954 World Cup match against Mexico that Abderrahmane Mahjoub participated in?

13.Which teammate did Abderrahmane Mahjoub play alongside during his international debut for France?

14.What was the occupation of Leila Al Jazairia, the wife of Abderrahmane Mahjoub?

15.Abderrahmane Mahjoub captained Morocco against which team in a 1962 World Cup Qualifier?

16.After returning to play for Wydad Casablanca later in his career, what role did Abderrahmane Mahjoub take on at the club?

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