Ismael Bennacer’s story is one of resilience and triumph. His father worked tirelessly at menial jobs, even enduring a serious injury, all to provide for his family.
We’ll take you through the journey of a footballer who, despite facing threats from his youth club, found a lifeline when Arsène Wenger brought him to Arsenal. Although he felt let down by Wenger, Bennacer proved his worth by winning titles with other clubs.
You’ll also hear about his significant clash with his father over his decision to represent Algeria rather than Morocco. However, Bennacer made amends with his father after a stellar performance in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was named the tournament’s best player.
Bennacer’s life has been marked by overcoming challenges, including playing alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic at AC Milan. This is the story of a boy whose father toiled under harsh conditions to secure a better future for his family, and of a footballer who has faced and conquered numerous obstacles.
How Ismael Bennacer Overcame Threats and Betrayal to Achieve Football Success
Preamble:
This article on Ismael Bennacer provides more than just career highlights, which you might find in YouTube videos. Instead, we dive into the detailed story of Bennacer’s childhood, his early passion for football, and the support he received from his parents—his Moroccan father and Algerian mother. We also cover his family background, including his siblings (two brothers and a sister).
Additionally, this piece explores Bennacer’s Moroccan and Algerian heritage, his education, hometown, and religion. We also provide insights into his lifestyle, personal life, net worth, and salary breakdown.
As you delve into Ismael Bennacer’s biography, we hope to satisfy your curiosity about his life journey. To start, check out the photo gallery that captures the essence of this tenacious midfielder’s remarkable story. Bennacer’s journey is a testament to his incredible progress and achievements.
Ismael Bennacer Biography – Discover the captivating journey of the Algerian, which captures his inspiring story. Also illustrating his incredible progression from humble beginnings to football stardom.
It’s well known that the left-footed midfielder Ismael Bennacer is tenacious, energetic, dynamic, and versatile. Seen as a highly promising talent in modern football, he excels as a deep-lying playmaker capable of delivering spectacular performances.
In writing about Algerian football players, we noticed a gap in detailed information about midfielders like Bennacer. Surprisingly, there’s a lack of comprehensive biographies available on him. This article has been prepared out of our admiration for Riyad Mahrez and the Algerian football team. So, let’s dive in and explore the full story of Ismael Bennacer.
Ismael Bennacer Childhood Story:
For starters of his Biography reading, he bears the nickname “Isma”. Ismaël Bennacer was born on the 1st day of December 1997 in the city of Arles, southern France.
While no public documentation exists about the name of Ismael Bennacer’s parents, our research reveals he was born to a Morrocan Father and an Algerian Mother.
The Desert Warrior arrived in the world as the third child out of four children born to the marriage between his Mum and Dad, who are pictured here.
Behind Bennacer, a successful footballer, exists these persons he calls his parents. A Dad and Mum who believed in him, supported him, and instilled in him the values of hard work, dedication, and humility.
Let’s introduce you to Ismael Bennacer’s Parents. His Dad is Morrocan, and his Mum is Algerian.
Growing-Up Years:
Ismael spent his childhood years with his three siblings, which includes a sister and two brothers. The oldest of the Bennacers (Ismael’s big brother) is an engineer.
The next child, his immediate older sister, is a successful lawyer. There exists a last-born child of the family who is far junior to Ismeal and still in school as I write this Bio.
Bennacer grew up in the Trinquetaille district, situated on the right bank of the Rhône River. This river flows through the city of Arles (his birthplace) in southern France.
Ismael, as a child, was best described by people who know him as both discreet and reserved. Yes, it was Football that helped the gentle boy gain confidence, taking him out of his reserved character.
Throwback photo of a young Ismael Bennacer. As a child, his charm looks were very distinctive.
Ismael Bennacer Early Life:
The Algerian Footballer revealed in an interview with SportWeek about his painful journey in his quest to experience stardom. As a kid, Ismael was the type who liked taking lots of risks, some of which failed and many of which helped him.
Bennacer began playing football in his neighbouring local team named Athlétic Club Arlésien.
This is a small soccer team that has no dedicated training centre. He honed his skills there and aspired to get transferred into a bigger team to begin his senior career.
Because Ismael Bennacer was so good at what he did (football), the president of the local team (Arles) wanted him to be present at all the club’s events.
Achieving that could only mean one thing – Ismael has to stop schooling at 16. So one day, the President of the club called for a meeting between him and the boy and said as follows;
‘Isma, you have to train every day, and I advise you to leave school. You can continue studying at a later stage in your football.’
When he discussed with his parents on the advice he received, he got different reactions. First, Ismael Bennacer’s Mum didn’t like the idea of her son stopping his education for football. On the other hand, his Moroccan Dad, who knew more about the dividends of the sport, said;
‘Well, Let us see how it goes’.
Ismael Bennacer Family Background:
The first thing to know about the Athlete, when it comes to his household, is the fact that he is the son of a Morrocan and Algerian immigrant. Ismael Bennacer’s Father was in his 20s when he decided to leave his country of origin (Morocco) to settle in France.
Before settling in France for better economic opportunities, Bennacer’s Dad had begun working in Morocco as early as the age of 12.
At that early age, he began doing manual labour – as a bricklayer. Bennacer’s Dad worked so hard in the open air and once suffered the pain of breaking his back while doing his bricklaying job in Morocco.
At the time he raised his family in France, the devoted Dad would leave home at 06:00 am in the morning and return by 06:00 pm in the evenings.
Ismael Bennacer’s Dad exerted a lot of strength in his blue-collar job. It made him lose lots of energy, which became obvious when he returned home from work.
Upon returning home from work, he (so exhausted) would sit down in the family’s sitting room and wouldn’t have any strength to speak. One day, when he gets the energy to talk after returning from work, Ismael Bennacer’s Dad once told him and his siblings the following;
‘I suffer to work for you, simply because I don’t want you to have the same life as mine’.
Ismael Bennacer’s Dad was so hardworking that he would work in the midday sun and even under extremely hot temperatures.
Again, he would do his bricklaying job even in the rain and during winter when it was too cold. The hardworking Dad would only rest after fatigue had taken hold of his entire body.
Despite his sufferings, there was one thing that made the proud Dad forget all his troubles. That thing was no other than the vision of his second son, “Ismail” (whom this Biography is all about).
Severally, he told Ismael that he was ready to sacrifice everything to see that he becomes successful as a footballer, even if his back was broken again.
From a young age, Ismael vowed never to let his parents down, particularly his father. Whenever he recalled his father’s struggles, it only fueled his drive to excel in his professional pursuits.
At the time of writing this biography, the Bennacer family has become multi-millionaires due to the achievements of their second son, a dedicated footballer.
Ismael Bennacer and his family beam with pride as he signs his AC Milan contract, marking a monumental moment in their journey to financial prosperity.
Bennacer’s relentless effort has irrevocably transformed the financial standing of both his nuclear and extended family members (grandparents, uncle, aunt, nephews, nieces, etc).
Ismael Bennacer Family Origin:
The Algerian footballer has three nationalities to his name. First, Ismael Bennacer is a French citizen owing to the fact that he was born in France.
Secondly, the midfielder holds Morrocan nationality simply because his Father is from Morocco. Lastly, Ismael identifies himself as an Algerian citizen because his Mum’s family is from Algeria. The same goes for Rayan Cherki‘s Mum who is an Algerian.
Some football fans have asked the question… Where in Morocco and Algeria do Ismael Bennacer’s Father and Mother come from?
After conducting our research, we found out that Bennacer’s Dad hails from north-central Morocco, precisely on the border between the Taounate and Taza regions.
On the other hand, our findings reveal that Ismael Bennacer’s Mother is from Draria. This is a suburb of the city of Algiers, situated in northern Algeria.
Now, let’s tell you about Arles, the city where Ismael Bennacer’s Parents raised him. He grew up in a part of the French city known as the Trinquetaille district. In this part of France which is close to the bank of the Rhône River, different ethnicities, cultures and religions often meet.
There are also plenty of criminal elements in Arles, Southern France. Ismael Bennacer’s Parents raised him in a neighbourhood where lots of young people end up selling drugs or doing prostitution.
At the age of 14, the footballer once resisted temptation from a bad friend who told him as follows;
‘Come, Isma, let’s go out to have fun this evening and see the women…’
The truth is, Ismael Bennacer’s Parents raised him in the ways of a good Muslim. He has never been interested in such ungodly things, as stated above.
After returning from football training and saying his prayers, Ismael Bennacer never loiters around. He never keeps late nights and always returns home early to stay with the rest of his family.
Ismael Bennacer Education:
The Algerian Midfield General is a graduate of Scientific High School, an institution located in Arles, southern France.
Ismael Bennacer adhered to the compulsory education system in France, which began from age 3 to 16. At the age of 16, he stopped studying at Scientific High School and gave all his time to the beautiful game – football.
Because Ismael Bennacer’s Morrocan Dad couldn’t read and write, he vowed to ensure his children attended school (something he missed during his youth).
Like Mike Maignan, Ismaël Bennacer didn’t fancy going to school, as he only did it to obey his parents’ wishes. Research has it that he, unlike Mike, the AC Milan goalkeeper, Ismael was intelligent in school.
Ismael Bennacer’s decision to stop school at the age of 16 was a bit controversial. First, the president of his football academy demanded that his club needed him to train every day, travel to attend camps and play lots of matches.
This decision wasn’t what Ismael Bennacer’s Parents wanted at first, considering that they value education a lot.
But in the end, the club’s president and the Bennacer household agreed to have him complete his studies via the Internet. His teachers at Scientific High School understood Ismael’s request and worked with him that way.
As I write this Bio, his Parents are proud to see all their children being educated and successful. Starting with their oldest son, he studied up to his university level, and he is now an Engineering.
Again, the second child of the Bennacer household (Ismael’s sister) is a successful lawyer. Now, let’s dive properly into Ismael’s football story.
Career Buildup:
Ismael Bennacer, at the age of 9, began his football career with Athlétic Club Arlésien. Commonly known as Arles, this is a French football club originally based in Arles, the French city where his family lived.
The soccer club, at that time, wasn’t rich, as both their senior and youth team trained on the same pitch.
It was Ismael’s dream to begin his senior career elsewhere, at a more reputable team with better training facilities. Thankfully, at the age of 16, there were rumours of top clubs around Europe scouting him.
Now, let’s tell you the events that unfolded in the next section, including some controversy.
Ismael Bennacer Biography – Football Story:
Witness the humble beginnings of Isma, where the journey towards becoming a great athlete began.
After completing his youth career with Arles, the youngster was ready to launch his next career steps elsewhere.
However, Ismael Bennacer’s parent club wanted him to continue, so they offered his family money and a contract. The footballer once recalled how one day, the president of his local club called him and said:
Isma,you have to continue with our first team.
The truth is, Ismael wasn’t sure about his future with Arles, so he made his family reject their money, and he didn’t sign the contract.
At that time, he knew other top teams would offer him the best training facilities. After answering ‘NO’ to Arles’s professional contract and not caring about the President’s words, there came some trouble for the boy.
In an interview with SportWeek, the President of AC Arlésien threatened to demote Ismael to the club’s reserve team rather than promoting him to a starting place in their senior team.
A lucky Bennacer wasn’t troubled about the threat as one of the clubs who wanted him had hurried up to sign him. That club was Arsenal, a club that was under Arsene Wenger‘s command (at that time).
One man, by the name of Gil Grimandi, was the scout who made Bennacer’s transfer to Arsenal possible. He was a former French footballer who played for Arsenal and, upon retirement, became one of the most trusted scouts for Arsene Wenger.
Gil Grimandi was so impressed with Ismael Bennacer’s technical capabilities. Quickly, he prompted the club to sign him to avoid a transfer battle with Manchester City, who also sent scouts to look at the young talent.
Bennacer decided to choose Arsenal, despite a Man City offer being placed on his table. According to him, the reason for his choice of Arsenal was clear.
It was due to the fact that the London club has, over the years, integrated more French-speaking players under Arsene Wenger’s leadership. A few of these names include Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Eboue, Samir Nasri, Emanuel Adebayor, etc.
Ismaël Bennacer joined an Arsenal team that had several young talents like him. He was labelled as a player for the future alongside these names.
They are; Chuba Akpom (Forward), Serge Gnabry (Right Winger), Joel Campbell (Right Winger) and Emiliano Martínez (the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning Goalkeeper).
Life in England:
Not many football fans know he played for Arsenal. Bennacer felt so excited on this day. But little did he know that a bitter moment with the club was coming his way.
As many young footballers do, Ismael Bennacer never wanted to live with a host family upon arriving in London. He lived in a hotel for the first two months of his stay in the city. Because he found it hard to live alone, Ismael asked for a member of his family to come stay with him.
It was Ismael Bennacer’s older sister who agreed to come to live with him in London. As time went on, his girlfriend, Chaines, started living with him.
This is the girl he later engaged and got married to while living in England. It is important to note that both lovers (Chaines and Bennacer) have been dating since their early high school days.
Upon the start of the 2016/2017 season, young Ismael began waiting for his moment in an Arsenal shirt. That moment finally came in an EFL Cup match against Sheffield United. Now, let’s tell you how Ismael got a rare opportunity to start his first match with Arsenal.
That day was the 27th of October 2015, which was three months after Bennacer arrived at the club. On that day, the youngster was sitting on the Arsenal bench for the first time in a cup match.
Yes, you can easily guess that Ismael had the opportunity to participate in that match as a substitute. That wasn’t the case.
The truth is, Wenger just wanted him to warm the bench that day. But luckily, Ismael was called into the match after his club suffered an unfortunate situation (double player injury).
On that day, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain got injured, and Theo Walcott, who replaced Chamberlain, also got injured 4 minutes after entering the pitch.
Arsene Wenger had no other option than to throw Ismael into the field. While he was glad to wear the Gunners shirt for the first time, Bennacer didn’t like the position he was told to play that day.
Bennacer was being told to play as a winger, a position he had never played before. Doing that in a competitive cup match brought lots of pressure on him. Of course, Ismail Bennacer made a bad show that day.
He performed very badly almost every time the ball reached him. His poor performance was followed by Arsenal losing the match (3 goals to zero). And on that day, a disappointed Ismael Bennacer lost his confidence in Arsene Wenger.
Speaking about what happened that day, the midfielder once reacted in an interview;
On that day, I felt lots of pressure in me. I lost a few balls on the pitch. As a result, I got less balls passed to me.
I hadn’t played for Arsenal since that day and I have no regrets about that.
In addition to being played out of position, Ismael Bennacer suffered from homesickness while at Arsenal. The truth is, it was hard for him to leave his home in France and settle in a new country where its people spoke a different language.
Despite that, Bennacer enjoyed the experience of training alongside top names like Mesut Ozil Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta. Yes, he trained and played alongside Mikel Arteta, who, a few years later, became a coach at the club.
Road to Fame Story:
After his poor performance in an Arsenal shirt, which resulted in a 3–0 loss to Sheffield, Arsene Wenger didn’t fancy the idea of featuring him in subsequent matches.
In the January 2017 winter transfer window, Bennacer decided it was time to leave Arsenal. He joined French Ligue 2 side Tours on loan for the remainder of the season.
Ismael Bennacer impressed while on loan, scoring his first goal for Tours from a resounding free kick. Rather than waiting to see if Arsenal would give him another chance, he followed his heart again. This time, the footballer accepted a transfer to Empoli, an Italian second-division team.
At the time he joined the Italian second-division club, Bennacer ignored some fans’ criticism, saying that his transfer from Arsenal to Empoli was a big leap backwards.
The truth is, he did care and was just following his heart. To save his career, Ismael ignored the idea of completing his left-over four-year contract at Arsenal. Speaking about his decision to join an Italian division two team, he once said,
Initially, I wasn’t familiar with Empoli. However, I decided to move from the Premier League to Empoli in Italy’s second division because it was the club that showed trust and interest in me.
Again, moving to Italy from England implies him studying the Italian language. At his new club, Bennacer got the playing time he needed. The first season with Empoli saw him having 39 appearances, including goals to his name.
Most importantly, Ismael Bennacer helped the club win the Serie B Title – which secured their promotion to Serie A.
From benchwarmer to champion: Bennacer shines in his first season with Empoli, helping the team secure the Serie B Title.
Ismael Bennacer Biography – Success Story:
Although the Arles native had previously represented France at the U18 and U19 levels, he decided to change countries shortly before joining Empoli.
To the joy of Ismael Bennacer’s Family, their breadwinner helped Algeria (his Mother’s country) win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Celebrating the win of his AFCON title: A day that would forever be engraved in his memory.
In that competition, Bennacer finished as the AFCON joint-top assist provider alongside Ivorian Franck Kessié. In addition, the Fast Rising Algerian received the honour of being the “Best Young Player” and the “Best Player” of the tournament.
With his outstanding achievements in African football, Bennacer quickly became one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe.
Also, he was labelled as one of the most in-demand African midfielders in the continent. Among all clubs that yearned for Bennacer’s signature, it was AC Milan who won the race to sign him – for a fee of €16 million.
The Tenacious African Athlete joined AC Milan at the same time as Theo Hernandez, Alexis Saelemaekers, Simon Kjaer, and Rafael Leão. Upon joining AC Milan, he met and began bonding with a new big family.
Since joining the European Giants, Bennacer’s form has generated much praise, especially from Italian pundits.
Thanks to his dominating performance, his best-ever goal for AC Milan would be this screamer scored from outside the box against Cagliari on the 19th of March 2022.
In that 2021/2022 season, Bennacer, alongside notables like Sandro Tonali and Brahim Díaz, helped AC Milan win the Serie A title.
Do you know?… That was AC Milan’s first league title since the 2010–11 season. Behold the player Arsenal sold for £900,000, helping AC Milan to a title.
AC Milan became Champions on this day. Bennacer helped the team win their first Serie A Title in over a decade.
Spearheaded by the Legendary Zlatan himself, AC Milan finished a club-record tally of 86 Serie A league points that season.
On that day, Bennacer and his teammates (led by Davide Calabria) celebrated his first trophy with AC Milan, and the almighty Zlatan Ibrahimovic Bossed the occasion.
The 2022–2023 season looked even better for Bennacer as his contract renewal made him AC Milan’s highest-paid player.
It didn’t take long before he repaid the faith placed in him as his goal (as shown below) helped AC Milan reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. The rest, as we say, is now history.
Ismael Bennacer Wife:
Winning the Africa Cup of Nations title and being the tournament’s best player, all at the age of 21, denotes signs of a footballer who is bound for success.
Now, behind Ismael’s success comes a glamorous woman who happens to be his wife. Now, let’s introduce you to Chaines or, as some persons call her, Mrs Chahinez Bennacer.
Let’s introduce you to Chaines, Ismael Bennacer’s Wife.
Regarding how Ismael Bennacer met his wife, our findings reveal both lovers had known each other since their schooling days. They had begun dating since both attended the Scientific High School at Arles. Chaines, like her husband, has family origins in one of the North African countries.
When Ismael Bennacer arrived in England to play for Arsenal around 2015, his then-girlfriend (Chaines) helped him settle. And one of her rewards for doing that was receiving a wedding ring from her husband. Today, we are proud to say that Chahinez and Ismael are living happily together as spouses.
Truth be told, Ismael Bennacer’s success as a footballer wouldn’t have come true without Chahinez standing by his side.
She has been by his side, both in good and bad times, including when he has to overcome career challenges. Ismael once admitted that Chahinez is a good woman who gives him support and works so hard (every day) for his wellbeing.
Personal Life:
What are Ismael Bennacer’s Personalities?
To start with, the Algerian powerhouse loves the idea of engaging in hard exercise. During the quarantine imposed by COVID-19, there was a video of Ismael massacring himself on the terrace and doing hard exercises. His workout routine includes exercises such as hitting a truck tire with a club.
The Franco-Algerian, like Endrick Felipe and Pablo Sarabia, also fancies the idea of practising other sports, like boxing. In Ismael Bennacer’s family home, in Arles, his Dad once led the way in terms of physical exercises. In the words of the 2019 AFCON winner;
It’s by watching my Dad that I learned to exercise and work very hard.
I think it’s important for footballers to practise other sports when they can.
I love boxing simply because it is good for the heart. Again, I also like ping-pong and basketball.
Also, regarding his personality, Bennacer loves Italy and the Italian people. He loves the way Italians gesticulate when they speak, something he once said feels like a movie.
Regarding his on-pitch personality, Ismael, like Benoit Badiashile, isn’t someone who easily goes into a fight when provoked. Whether in training or on matchday, he doesn’t retaliate when he takes a hit. He would rather fight for a ball rather than hit his opponents on purpose. He once said,
A while back, I faced Felipe Caicedo in a match against Lazio. Despite his imposing size, I went toe-to-toe with him. He knocked me to the ground, but I managed to take him down two or three times as I fought to win the ball. My sole focus was on retrieving it and getting it back into play.
One very outstanding part of Bennacer’s personality is the time he creates and devotes to the orphanage. Here, he (in 2018) took his time to visit his mother’s Algerian hometown, Draria. Ismael felt super excited to see the smiles on these kid’s faces.
While playing for Empoli, Ismael took his time to visit an orphanage in his mother’s Algerian hometown of Draria.
Lifestyle:
To start with, Ismael Bennacer is not the type who loves to leave his house too often. His ideal vacation choice is to find himself on an Island doing nothing. Bennacer enjoyed the COVID quarantine period on the grounds that it gave him the joy of being with his wife – just him and her alone for months.
Does Ismael Bennacer own a Car?
COUNT HIM NOT when you think about footballers like Paul Pogba or Neymar, who display their wealth by acquiring luxurious cars. Bennacer is super rich, and he prefers to live an average life, as reflected in their car choice. The diminutive Athlete, like Rasmus Højlund, is also the type who shows humility by stopping by to greet fans.
Certainly, he is not a footballer who chooses to display his wealth through his car. As noticed here, the Algerian midfielder drives what looks like an average car.
Ismael Bennacer Family Life:
As a soccer player with a father who has endured a fractured spine and works as a bricklayer to provide for his family, the significance of kinship cannot be overstated for Bennacer. He draws solace and resilience from the close relationships he shares with his family, who have guided him through the various highs and lows of his professional journey. Now, let’s tell you more about their role.
Ismael Bennacer Mother:
According to the Midfield Progedy, everything he does is mostly for his beloved mother. Bennacer also said that even if he becomes the strongest or richest in the world, he would feel empty without his mother’s love. As noted earlier in this Bio, Ismael’s Algerian mother qualified him to play for The Desert Warriors (through her origins).
On the day Bennacer’s Mother and his older sister attended the event of his AC Milan contract signing, they both appeared wearing the hijab. Dressing modestly and covering their body and hair was a sign of respect for their faith. On that day at the Milan headquarters, many social media platforms circulated the photo of the two women. People praising them for preserving their tradition dispute the luxury they now live in.
On this day at the AC Milan headquarters, Ismael Bennacer’s mother and sister wore a hijab to his contract signing, showing respect for their faith and tradition. Afterwards, many photos circulated online, praising them for being modest despite how rich their family had become.
Ismael Bennacer Father:
Do you know?… It did not occur to his Dad when he was once told about his son’s birth in the French city of Arles, a home for tourism. In fact, for decades, Bennacer’s Dad did not know a simple tourism fact about Arles, the city he had lived in since arriving from Morocco at age 20. To tell the truth, this city is one of the world’s best tourist destinations for lovers of arts and antiquities.
When asked, Ismael Bennacer’s Father said that he did not immigrate to the city for tourism. Rather, he came like thousands of Arab youth, especially Moroccans, in search of green pastures. In search of a more dignified life that would enable him to establish a family and secure the future of his children.
Once upon a time, Ismael Bennacer had issues with his Moroccan father regarding his decision to play for Algeria (his mother’s homeland) instead of Morocco. In his words;
My father told me that he would no longer speak to me if I decided to choose Algeria.
In a media interview with the Qatari “BN Sport” network, Bennacer revealed that the Moroccan Football Association, led by coach Nasser Largait, met with his father in London. The idea was to persuade him to make his son play for the “Atlas Lions”.
Bennacer refused to obey his father’s wish because he was not convinced of the Morrocan national team’s sports project. Because of that, he missed out on playing alongside top Atlas Lion talents like Youssef En-Nesyri, Magical Hakim Ziyech, Defensive Genius Nayef Aguerd and the Speedy Achraf Hakimi.
Bennacer’s goal has always been to represent either one of the countries of his origins – Morocco (his father’s country) or Algeria (his mum’s country). The primary reason for refusing Morocco was simply because they offered to include him in their Olympic team rather than their first team.
On the other hand, the Algerian Federation offered Bennacer a direct entry into their first team. Ismael’s decision to go with Algeria caused a severe clash with his father. In an interview, the AC Milan player once said,
My father boycotted me for a long time because of this decision. But with time and after my brilliance with Algeria, he understood my position.
My Dad understood that my choice and position were away from emotion, which is in my football interest.
It is important to note that 21-year-old Ismael succeeded in proving his father wrong with the Algerian national team. He won the 2019 AFCON, won the trophy of being the best player in the tournament, and made the 2019 AFCON team list.
As I write this Bio, Ismael has come to terms with his Dad over the choice. He further made this conclusion;
My choice of Algeria was one that has to do with the heart and also with conviction. When I visited the training centre for the Algerian national team, I made my decision directly.
Ismael Bennacer Siblings:
Because of how their parents suffered for them, especially their Dad, they learned to become responsible early on. Every one of Bennacer’s Siblings realized that the only option before them was to succeed in their endeavours, meaning there was no room for complacency.
The result of this is being felt today as Ismail’s older brother has now followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming an engineer. Unlike his Dad, he won’t involve himself in menial jobs since he is properly educated and qualified.
Bennacer’s sister, who studied law, can be of great importance in her brother’s career. For example, in the area of providing informal legal advice, including the needed guidance in matters related to contract negotiation and intellectual property rights.
Ismael Bennacer Relatives:
The Defensive Midfield has an uncle who, in a lengthy interview with the Moroccan channel “Al-Youm 24”, weighed into his nephew’s choice for a national team. He said that despite his nephew not picking the Atlas Lions (Morocco), his relationship with the country remains spiritual.
He stressed that people should consider Ismael a Moroccan who only carries the Algerian shirt. Even during summer vacations, he mostly visits Morocco, his father’s country, which remains eternal to him. Ismael Bennacer’s uncle also gave a reason why his Nephew often frequents Morocco during summer, which is to visit his paternal grandfather.
Untold Facts:
In the final phase of Ismael Bennacer’s Biography, we’ll unveil truths you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Ismael Bennacer FIFA:
It interests us to say that the Algerian is one of those footballers who lacks nothing in the game aside from goalkeeping. In other words, Ismael Bennacer is a complete footballer like these Athletes. The likes of Piotr Zielinski, Dutch talent Marten de Roon, Swiss Midfielder Djibril Sow, Denmark’s Matt O’Riley and Aussie’s Craig Goodwin.
As observed from his SOFIFA account, the biggest attributes Bennacer brings to the modern game are as follows: Balance (89%), Agility (87%), Dribbling (86%), Aggression (86%), Ball control (85%) and Short Passing (85%).
Bennacer is a complete footballer, lacking only in goalkeeping. His SOFIFA attributes like balance, agility, and dribbling are comparable to other top athletes such as Zielinski, de Roon, Sow, and Goodwin.
Ismael Bennacer Salary:
According to Capology, the Algerian footballer is ranked as AC Milan’s highest-paid player. Ismael earns 135,385 euros per week, ahead of Sergino Dest, who earns 115,385 euros. He also earns above top names like Tiemoue Bakayoko and Olivier Giroud.
Bennacer is AC Milan’s top earner, making 135,385 euros per week.
When Ismaël Bennacer’s €7,050,850 annual salary is converted into Algerian Dinar, the results reveal he is a Billionaire. In fact, his AC Milan annual salary equals 1,053,278,800 DZD.
How Rich is the Complete Midfielder?
Where Ismael Bennacer’s family comes from (his mother’s side), the average person living in Algeria makes around 700,248 Algerian dinars. Such a person takes 28.8 years to make Isma’s 20,224,247 DZD weekly earnings with AC Milan.
Ismael Bennacer Religion:
For the Algerian Athlete, being a devoted Muslim is everything. Ismael Bennacer believes that he would still have God if he didn’t have football anymore. This is why he is not afraid of anything that life throws at him. It is also the reason why he does not idolize any top footballers as most of his colleagues do.
Devout Muslim Ismael Bennacer finds strength in his faith, prioritizing it above football and refraining from idolizing other players.
In Ismael’s words;
If I happen to come across Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I do not feel compelled to pay them homage in a grand manner.
This is not due to arrogance, but rather because my religion emphasizes humility and modesty.
In accordance with my beliefs, I acknowledge that Ronaldo and Messi are simply human beings, no different from anyone else.
When Bennacer played against Ronaldo’s Juventus team for the first time with Empoli, he noticed a trend. That many of my teammates went to ask Cristiano Ronaldo for a selfie at the end of the game. He was among the very few athletes who didn’t do that.
EndNote:
Algerian Football player Ismaël Bennacer is a native of Arles in France. He was born on the 1st day of December 1997 to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother. As we have said, he is the typical example of a footballer with a Moroccan-Algerian fraternity.
Ismael Bennacer’s Father has been doing menial jobs in Morocco since he was 12. During one of his working days, the poor Lad broke his back. At the age of 20, Bennacer’s Dad (with no academic degree) immigrated to France. With poor educational background, he did not have a choice but to engage in menial construction jobs.
Married to an Algerian woman, they became the proud parents of four children, with Ismael coming as the third child. By virtue of his birth in France, Ismaël Bennacer holds three nationalities – Algeria (through his Mum), Morocco (via his Dad) and France (via birth).
Ismael Bennacer’s Parents raised him and his three siblings in Arles, France. As a child, he witnessed his Dad leave the house at six in the morning and return by six in the evening. Usually, fatigue takes over his Dad’s entire body when he returns home from his construction job, keeping him mute for some time.
The hope of having his children prosper through sound education, including Ismael’s career prospects, made his Dad forget all his troubles. While Bennacer’s oldest sibling became an engineer, his immediate older sister read to become a professional lawyer. So far in 2023, Ismael is the only one among his siblings who have not attended a university.
Career Summary:
Research has it that Bennacer dropped out of Scientific High School so he could pursue his football career with AC Arlésien. After successfully graduating from their academy, Ismael refused to sign a professional contract. After a few threats from the club, he succeeded in having a transfer to Arsenal.
Bennacer arrived in London with full confidence. Initially living with his older sister, he was joined by his girlfriend, Chaines, to whom he later married. Back to his professional duties, Bennacer made friends with Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil, who gave him confidence in training as he awaited his senior debut.
Unfortunately, Ismael had an unexpected debut. He was called by Arsene Wenger right into the pitch following the injury from two players. Sadly, Bennacer was told to play in the wrong opposition by the ten Arsenal coach. He performed badly, and Arsenal lost the match.
Following his disappointing debut, the Algerian footballer lost faith in Arsene Wenger. In 2017, he departed Arsenal on loan to the French club Tours and later made a permanent switch to Empoli, where he won the Serie B title.
Against all odds, the dynamic, tenacious, energetic midfielder helped Algeria to win the 2019 AFCON title. Benaccer went on to become the Best Player in that Africa Cup of Nations competition, including winning the team of the tournament honour.
Without a doubt, Ismaël Bennacer has truly overcome challenges in his career. From not being trusted by Arsene Wenger to proving his dad wrong in his decision to choose Algeria. As of 2023, he (who is a fulfilled man thanks to his marriage to Chahinez) is considered as one of the most important players for AC Milan.
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking out time to read our version of Ismael Bennacer’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver football stories about Athletes that represent The Desert Warriors. Bennacer’s Bio is part of our wider coverage of African football stories.
Please reach us (via comment) if you find anything that doesn’t look right in this memoir about the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner. Also, tell us what you think about Ismael, a footballer who did shun Premier League club Arsenal in favour of an AC Milan stay.
Asides from Bennacer’s Bio, we’ve got other great stories of footballers who have Algerian family origins. Surely, the Life History of Yacine Adli and Said Benrahma will excite your reading pleasure.
