Nabil Bentaleb made a memorable return to football with a remarkable goal against Rennes.
As reported by BBC, the former Tottenham midfielder scored in Lille’s 2-0 victory on Sunday, February 16, 2025, marking his first match since suffering a cardiac arrest last year.
Algeria’s No. 19 suffered a heart attack in June 2024, leading many fans to believe that his career might be over.
However, Nabil was cleared to play by the French Football Federation on Wednesday, February 12, and he scored just four minutes after coming on in the second half at Roazho Park.
He celebrated the historic moment by running to Lille’s bench, where he was surrounded by his teammates and coaching staff.
LOSC Lille’s manager, Bruno Génésio, praised Nabil, saying, “It’s worthy of a film.”
He added, “He deserved it because I don’t believe in luck—he believed in himself.”
While commending the No. 6, Bruno noted, “Nabil’s goal put us on cloud nine—it’s hard to describe. It could be a defining moment in our season, one that will remain engraved in the club’s history, in this season, and in Nabil’s mind, of course.”
Former Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom sealed the win in the 86th minute, securing Lille’s rise to fifth place in Ligue 1.
Nabil Bentaleb started his senior career at Tottenham in 2013, making 46 Premier League appearances before joining Schalke in 2017. After a brief loan spell at Newcastle, he joined Lille in 2023.
