Karim Aït-Fana

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Karim Aït-Fana
Personal information

Full name	Karim Aït-Fana
Date of birth	(1989-02-25) 25 February 1989
Place of birth	Limoges, France
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Montpellier
Number	18
Youth career
1995–1997	Air Limoges
1997–2002	AS Saint-Louis
2002–2004	IFR Châteauroux
2003–2004	Limoges
2004–2006	Montpellier
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2006–	Montpellier	126	(39)
National team^‡
2004–2005	France U16	4	(0)
2005–2006	France U17	3	(0)
2006–2007	France U18	6	(1)
2007–2008	France U19	3	(0)
2009–2010	France U21	5	(1)
2012-	Morocco	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 September 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 May 2011

Karim Aït-Fana (Arabic: كاريم ايت-فانا‎; born 25 February 1989) is a Moroccan international footballer who plays for French club Montpellier in Ligue 1. Aït-Fana can play in a variety of attacking positions, which include playing in the hole, as a winger, and in the attacking midfield position. Though born in France, Aït-Fana's father is from Azrou and his mother is from Meknes.^[1]

Career

Aït-Fana was born in Limoges and began his career playing for his local club, Air Limoges. At the age of thirteen, he was selected to attend the Centre de Formation de Châteauroux, a regional youth academy that is comparable to that of the Clairefontaine academy, in order to receive further training. While training at Châteauroux during the week, he played with hometown club Limoges FC on the weekends. After spending two years at the academy, he joined Montpellier.

Aït-Fana made his professional football debut on 12 May 2006, the final match day of the 05-06 Ligue 2 season, coming on as a late-match substitute playing 9 minutes in a 0–1 loss to Le Havre.^[2] The following season, his playing time increased to 13 matches. He also scored his first goal during this season on 27 April 2007 against LB Châteauroux in a 1–3 defeat.^[3] Aït-Fana's role in the team was greatly expanded for the 2007–08 season as he appeared in 37 total matches. He scored his only two goals for the season in the final league match of the season against FC Libourne-Saint-Seurin, which Montpellier won 5–0.

Montpellier earned promotion to Ligue 1 following the club's successful campaign during the 2008–09 season with Aït-Fana having an influential role. He scored a career-high six goals during the campaign including the winner against Guingamp late in the season with the club in the midst of a promotion battle. Due to his successful season, Aït-Fana was given a contract extension with the club until the year 2012.^[4] In his first season with Montpellier in Ligue 1, Aït-Fana has been a revelation in the team, which has reached as high as 2nd position in the league. He has scored impressive goals against Sochaux, Boulogne, Le Mans, and Marseille. Montpellier went undefeated in the five league matches Aït-Fana has scored in.

In Montpellier's last home game of the 2011–12 campaign, Aït-Fana scored a last minute goal in a 1-0 win over Lille after coming off the bench.

International career

Aït-Fana has been active on the international youth circuit for France. He has earned limited caps with the under-16s, under-17s, under-18s, and the under U-19 squad.^[5] After not representing France for over a year and a half, it was speculated that Aït-Fana would follow in the footsteps on fellow French-born Moroccan Marouane Chamakh and play for Morocco, his country of origin.^[1] However, on 1 October 2009, he was called up to the France under-21 team by coach Erick Mombaerts for their 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification matches against Malta on 9 October and Belgium on 13 October.^[6] Aït-Fana made his debut in the Malta match appearing as a substitute in the 76th minute. Despite being on the pitch for mere seconds, he scored France's second goal of the match ensuring them a 2–0 victory.^[7] Karim Ait Fana-makes its debut with the national team of Morocco in a friendly match against Senegal held on 25 May in Marrakech.

Career statistics

Club

(Correct as of 7 April)

Club	Season	League			Cup^{[nb 1]}			Europe^{[nb 2]}			Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Montpellier	2005–06	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	2006–07	13	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	15	1	1
	2007–08	31	2	3	6	0	2	0	0	0	37	2	5
	2008–09	29	6	6	4	0	0	0	0	0	33	6	6
	2009–10	29	4	3	2	2	1	0	0	0	31	6	4
Total		103	13	13	14	2	3	0	0	0	117	15	16
Career total		103	13	13	14	2	3	0	0	0	117	15	16

Personal Life

Aït-Fana is Muslim.^[8]

Honours

Club

Montpellier

Ligue 1 (1): 2011–12

Notes

↑ Includes Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophée des Champions
↑ Includes UEFA Supercup

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 Interview Exclusive: Karim AIT FANA
↑ Montpellier v. Le Havre Match Report. Lfp.fr.
↑ Montpellier v. Châteauroux Match Report. Lfp.fr.
↑ Montpellier : Aït Fana prolonge. Mercato365.com.
↑ France v. Greece Match Report
↑ Aït-Fana et Yanga-Mbiwa convoqués
↑ Victoire française (2–0). Fff.fr.
↑

External links

Karim Aït-Fana French league stats at LFP.fr (French)
ESPN FC profile
UEFA Profile

v t e Montpellier HSC – current squad

1 Pionnier 2 Bocaly 3 Congré 4 Hilton (c) 5 Tiéné 6 Marveaux 7 Mounier 8 Martin 9 Niang 10 Cabella 12 Di Stefano 14 Dabo 15 Tinhan 16 Jourdren 17 Mézague 18 Aït-Fana 19 Camara 20 Sanson 21 El Kaoutari 22 Stambouli 23 Saihi 24 Deza 25 Deplagne 26 Jebbour 27 Assoumin 28 Bakar 29 Montaño 30 Ligali Manager: Courbis

Persondata
Name	Ait-Fana, Karim
Alternative names
Short description	Association football player
Date of birth	25 February 1989
Place of birth	Limoges, France
Date of death
Place of death

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