Ismaël Bennacer

Ismaël Bennacer (إسمَاعِيْل بن نَاصِر; ; born 1 December 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club AC Milan. Born in France, he plays for the Algeria national team.

At club level, Bennacer has represented teams in France, England and Italy throughout his career. At international level, he made his senior debut for Algeria in 2016, and won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where he was named player of the tournament and assisted the winning goal in the final.

Early career
After starting his career with French club Arles, Bennacer signed for Premier League side Arsenal in July 2015. He made his senior Arsenal debut in the League Cup fourth round away to Sheffield Wednesday on 27 October 2015, replacing Theo Walcott after 19 minutes, after the latter had already replaced the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in an eventual 3–0 loss.

On 31 January 2017, it was announced that Bennacer would join Ligue 2 side Tours on loan for the remainder of the 2016–17 season. He scored his first goal for Tours on 14 April 2017 against Sochaux from a free kick. On 21 August 2017, Bennacer joined Italian club Empoli. In the 2017–18 Serie B season, Bennacer made 39 appearances and scored 2 goals as Empoli won the Serie B title, earning promotion to Serie A. Despite Empoli's relegation the following season, Bennacer's performances confirmed his status as one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe.

2019–20 season
On 4 August 2019, AC Milan announced they had signed Bennacer from Empoli for a reported transfer fee of €16 million plus bonuses. He underwent his medical on 23 July and signed a five-year contract, with a reported salary of €1.5 million per season. He made his club debut on 25 August, coming on as a second–half substitute in a 1–0 away defeat to Udinese in Serie A; his home and full–debut came on 31 August, in a 1–0 victory over Brescia. On 18 July 2020, he scored his first goal for the club and in the Italian top flight in a 5–1 home win over Bologna in Serie A.

2020–21 season
Bennacer played 30 matches in all competitions, helping Milan to finish second in league table.

2021–22 season
Already a regular on Pioli's side, Bennacer form generated much praise from Italian pundits, showing dominating performance against the likes of Inter and Napoli.

On 23 October 2021, as Milan was drawing 2–2 against Bologna, Bennacer scored the third goal in an eventual 4–2 win. On 19 March 2022, Bennacer scored a screamer from outside the box against Cagliari, helping his team to win 1–0 and stay on the top of league table. For the first time in a single Serie A season, Bennacer has scored more than once. Bennacer won the league title with AC Milan on 22 May 2022 with a 0–3 win at U.S. Sassuolo Calcio. It was his first trophy with the club.

2022–23 season
On 12 January 2023, Bennacer extended his contract until 30 June 2027. Bennacer scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League on 12 April 2023, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win over Napoli in the first leg of the quarter finals. In May 2023, Bennacer sustained an injury to his right knee while in training and had a surgery, which forced him to miss the final five games of the season as well as ruled him out of the first half of the upcoming season.

2023–24 season
On 2 December 2023, Bennacer made his return to the pitch in a 3–1 home win against Frosinone, coming on as a substitute at the 79th minute of the game.

International career
Although he had previously represented France at youth level, on 31 July 2016, the Algerian Football Federation announced that Bennacer had opted to switch his international allegiance and represent Algeria internationally. He debuted for the Algeria national team in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier, a 6–0 win over Lesotho. Bennacer was called up on 11 January 2017 to Algeria's squad for the African Cup of Nations of 2017 to replace Saphir Taïder, who suffered an injury in training.

At the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Bennacer helped Algeria to their first title in 29 years, finishing the competition as the joint-top assist provider, alongside Franck Kessié, with three assists, including one for Baghdad Bounedjah's match-winning goal against Senegal in the final on 19 July. He was later voted both the "Best Young Player" and the "Best Player" of the tournament.

In December 2023, he was named in Algeria's squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Style of play
A dynamic, tenacious, energetic, diminutive, and versatile left-footed player, who is regarded as a highly promising prospect in modern football, Bennacer is capable of playing in several midfield roles, and has been used as a deep-lying playmaker in a holding role in midfield, as an attacking midfielder, or as a central offensive-minded midfielder, known as the mezzala role in Italian football. His main characteristics are his speed, vision, intelligence, composure, dribbling skills, passing, and technique; he is also known for his ability to transition from defence into attack.

Personal life
Bennacer was born in Arles, France, to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother.

International

 * Scores and results list Algeria's goal tally first.

Honours
Empoli
 * Serie B: 2017–18

AC Milan
 * Serie A: 2021–22

Algeria
 * Africa Cup of Nations: 2019

Individual
 * Best Player of the Africa Cup of Nations: 2019
 * CAF Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2019