Larbi Benbarek
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| Larbi Benbarek | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Larbi Benbarek | |
| Date of birth | June 16, 1914 | |
| Place of birth | Casablanca, Morocco | |
| Date of death | September 16, 1992 (aged 78) | |
| Place of death | Casablanca, Morocco | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | N/A | |
| Number | N/A | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1934–1948 1948–1953 1953–1954 |
Stade Français FC Atlético Madrid Stade Français FC |
69 (43) 113 (56) 32 (13) |
| National team2 | ||
| 1938–1954 | France | 19 (3) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Larbi Benbarek or Larbi Ben Barek (also known as the Black Pearl) (June 16, 1914 - September 16, 1992) (Casablanca, Morocco) was a Moroccan football player. He was the first player to bear the nickname of Black Pearl.
[edit] Career
The first African star and the first to bear the nickname of "Black Pearl", Ben Barek blazed a trail to the European, and particularly French and Spanish, leagues. He arrived to Marseille, France at the age of 20, and became an instant favourite with the fans for his skills, and technical abilities. Pele, the soccer legend who took the name of the "Black Pearl" after Ben Barek made a famous statement about Larbi in which he says " If i am the king of soccer, then Larbi Ben Barek is the god of it".Such a statement,specially coming from a player that is perhaps, if not is the best soccer player that ever existed, can only show the magic and grateness the Moroccan player was gifted with.
His career was interrupted by the onset of World War II but he was soon back to his best with Stade Français FC and then in Spain, with Atlético Madrid, where he truly blossomed and where his international fame spread. His nickname with the fans in Spain was "The Foot of God".
He returned to Marseille in 1953, but finished his career with no single title. One of the finest players ever to represent France, his adopted country, he made 19 appearances for the French national team between 1938 and 1954. But his comeback in 1954 against Germany in Hanover was curtailed by an injury after half an hour and proved to be the end of his career.
[edit] Later life
Larbi Ben Barek died in his home town on 16 September 1992. Also, 6 years after his death, he won the FIFA Order of Merit Award, which is the award of the highest honor in FIFA.
