“A great man, an immense footballer is gone”wrote AS Saint-Etienne on its X account, Friday November 8, announcing the death of Rachid Mekhloufi, figure of the Football club and Algerian football. He was 88 years old. “Rachid Mekhloufi is no more, but his legacy will never leave us », Adds the club.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune “learned with great sadness the news of the death of legendary Algerian footballer Rachid Makhloufi, FLN player, coach of the national team and former president of the Algerian Football Federation”declared the Algerian presidency, without giving details of the place of death. The Head of State presented “his most sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and to the family of Algerian football”according to the official press release.
The president of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadi, also sent his condolences “most saddened to the family of the deceased and to the great family of Algerian football”.
He began his career in Algeria before joining the AS Saint-Etienne club in 1954 and he became French champion in 1957 with the Greens at just 20 years old. But in April 1958, in the middle of the Algerian War, he suddenly left France, accompanied by other Algerian players, to join the FLN team, created to promote the struggle for independence.
After independence in 1962, he resumed his career at Saint-Etienne, winning three more league titles in 1964, 1967 and 1968, and becoming captain of the first Algerian national team.
Read our interview with Rachid Mekhloufi (2016): Rachid Mekhloufi: “I did not hesitate before joining the Algerian FLN team”
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