It didn’t take long for the Nice supporters to see who they were dealing with. Unknown to the general public before his arrival from Caen in the last hours of the transfer window at the end of August, Ali Abdi has already made everyone agree on the Côte d’Azur. In Ligue 1, the 31-year-old Tunisian has already scored a goal and delivered two assists in six small starts, symbol of an activity that will give the regulars of the side stands of the Allianz Riviera a headache. A boy capable of finishing a match against PSG with a sprain without flinching – « iHe was limping low, but as long as he wants to play and is good, I didn’t have much reason to take him off »explained Haise – and already recognized for his generosity in the 06 – elected for example with 85% of the Aiglon votes in the match against Brest at the beginning of November. Well, that was before he suffered a nasty hamstring injury that occurred during Tunisia’s defeat against Gambia (0-1) in CAN qualifying in November, which kept him away from the field for many weeks and stopped in his tracks.
Knowing the career path of the Tunisian international (32 caps), back in the Nice group to face Reims, there will not be much need to restart the machine, as this needy person has always carried around his wolf’s hunger in each of its clubs. Born in Sfax, the country’s second city, Ali Abdi does not have a common background. Coming from the Tunisian middle class, son of civil servant parents, the left-hander made his first lessons at Sfax RS, then in the Tunisian third division. It was only at JS Kairouanaise, from 2011, that he discovered the professional world in the second division. Then coach of the Tunisian U20s, Chiheb Ellili remembers well his meeting, in 2012, with the 1 meter 83 full-back. « At the time, the coach of JS Kairouanaise advised me to come and see Ali. I went there, and indeed, it was very interesting. But above all, I was positively marked by the confidence with which he spoke to me after the match. Ali was already this boy with great self-confidence who knew where he wanted to go. » Immediately called up for selection, Ali Abdi quickly established himself as one of the captains of the Aiglons de Carthage. “He immediately imposed himself, continues Chehib Elili. I remember a complicated match against Libya. Like a starving man, Ali went for the winning goal at the end of the match, as an opportunist. Dude Ali, attacking at heart, regardless of his position or his position. »
A raw player in every sense of the word
Determined, Ali Abdi has always been. If he is not the most technically refined or tactically alert player, the Tunisian compensates with physical abilities and a thirst for learning that is well above average. « At the start, he oriented himself poorly and his ball grips always went inside, which made it easier for the opponent to press.explains Chehib Ellili. I asked him to vary. After explanation, he quickly understood. This ability to seek advice to progress and to assimilate quickly are two of its two great strengths. This is something that not all players today have. »continues the 60-year-old technician.
In the goals, I spent my time reminding him because tactically and defensively, it was not possible. I remember, for example, an 8-0 conceded to Nantes: for their part, it was open bar.
Partner of Ali Abdi at Paris FC for two years between 2019 and 2021, Vincent Demarconnay also remembers a player who was still missing a lot of things when he arrived in Europe in 2019. “ He didn’t have at all the rigor that European football requires. It took a big adaptation phase.remembers the emblematic goalkeeper of the PFC between 2008 and 2023. At the beginning, it sometimes got heated in training because he tended to be too aggressive, throwing tackles in all directions, throwing soles. Then Ali was always very focused on the offensive. In the goals, I spent my time reminding him because tactically and defensively, it was not possible. For example, I remember an 8-0 conceded to Nantes in the Coupe de la Ligue. For its part, it was open bar. »
Under the orders of René Girard, the Tunisian gradually integrated what his partners expected of him, until switching from defensive burden to offensive weapon number 1 during a second season at Paris FC ending with nine goals in the league within a team ultimately eliminated by Grenoble in the first round of the end-of-season play-offs. « Once he had this rigor, it was gonecontinues Demarconnay. He has all the qualities to be a high-level full-back. Seeing him perform very well in Nice does not surprise me. But I think Ligue 2 was a good step. It would have been complicated to move straight from Tunisia to Ligue 1.”
Trade unionist appreciated by all
Of Ali Abdi, Vincent Demarconnay also keeps the memory of someone “adorable and endearing”left on good terms with everyone despite some friction that arose at the start. « He is the typical example of a good teammate. When we played it again with Caen, everyone was happy to see him again. To say hello, it wasn’t a little cold check, but a big hug and catching up. » Coach of Ali Abdi twice at the African Club in 2016-2017 then in 2018-2019 after their first joint adventure in U20, Chiheb Ellili also describes a boy appreciated by all despite a sometimes borderline character. « In 2017 I had an incident with him, recalls the 60-year-old technician. At the time, we wanted to recruit Ali Maâloul, the left back of the selection. When Ali saw this, he came to ask for explanations in a way that was too aggressive for my taste. We were preparing for a friendly match against PSG, and I decided to skip it. And there, all his teammates came to see me to ask me to reinstate him. It showed what he meant to them. I ended up reinstating it. I knew the boy, everyone makes mistakes. »
We’re super close, but if I didn’t do the job on the pitch, he could set me on fire to the point of insulting me.
It must be said that at the African Club, everyone stands behind those who do not hesitate to negotiate directly with the leaders for everyone in the event of a delay in the payment of bonuses and salaries. “Ali can go to war for others, Assure Chiheb Ellili. However, at the time, he was not among the most experienced in the squad. But he always took his responsibilities, even if it cost him. Once, the leaders decided to sideline him for an African Champions League match because of these requests. »
An anecdote which does not really surprise his great friend Alexandre Mendy. “I recognize Ali there”laughs the top scorer in the history of Stade Malherbe in Caen. « He is a very honest person, who doesn’t beat around the bush if he has something to say. In a locker room, he’s a big mouth, but in a good way. He is demanding and pulls everyone up. When you have him on your team, you feel obligated to make the effort. For example, we’re super close, but if I didn’t do the job on the ground, he could attack me to the point of insulting me. » And to salute the path traveled by the one he describes as his brother: « He deserves what is happening to him today. I’m happy to see him having fun in Nice with Franck Haise, in a role of piston which suits him perfectly. Ligue 1 was his dream, he always spoke to me a lot about it. » And, with barely 300 professional matches under his belt at the age of 30, it doesn’t mean that Ali Abdi doesn’t have the room to get a little closer to the top.
The typical Charlie team
All comments collected by AC, except Franck Haise at press conference.
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