Published on : 13/05/2022 – 15:41
Author of an excellent 2021-2022 season, Tarik Tissoudali is one of the Atlas Lions in good shape. Decisive scorer with the Moroccan national team as with his Belgian club La Gantoise, the 29-year-old striker born in the Netherlands seems to have reached a new level in recent months.
For several months, the controversy has raged in Morocco about the absences of Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui in the national team. The right winger and the right side are at odds with coach Vahid Halilhodzic. These tensions with the Bosnian thus partly overshadow the good performance of another player born in the Netherlands: Tarik Tissoudali.
The 29-year-old striker is certainly not playing for Chelsea (England) like Ziyech or is not about to join Bayern Munich (Germany) like Mazraoui. But his 26 goals and 8 assists with La Gantoise in the Belgian Championship (Pro League) have struck a chord this season.
Ebony Shoe Candidate
The one who made a passage in France, in Le Havre (2016-2017), has certainly also marked time in recent weeks, after a thunderous start to spring (7 achievements in 4 meetings with La Gantoise and the Atlas Lions) . But, after a month of waiting, he found his way back to the net, giving his club a precious 2-1 victory against Mechelen, in the race for qualification for the European Cup.
Enough to replace the native of Amsterdam among the favorites in the race for the Ebony Shoe 2022, a trophy which designates the best African player or player of African origin in Belgium. A distinction won by players of the ilk of the Nigerian Daniel Amokachi or the Belgians Vincent Kompany and Romelu Lukaku. For now, Mbark Boussoufa, winner in 2006, 2009 and 2010, is the only Moroccan international to have been elected. Tissoudali is in a good position to succeed him after his victory in the Belgian Cup, against Anderlecht (0-0 AP, 4-3 TAB).
Late revelation
A rather unexpected situation for this player with little media coverage and little presence on social networks. The winger had indeed rarely exceeded the bar of 10 goals during an exercise. What explains the fact that La Gantoise did not have it extended earlier? His contract ends in a year and negotiations for an extension, with a salary increase, seem complicated.
Where will evolve in 2022-2023 the one who has also passed through the formations of Telstar, Cambuur, VVV and De Graafschap (Netherlands) before landing in the Belgian championship with Beerschot? In Spain, where its rating seems to be highest? At the end of 2022, unless Vahid Halilhodzic is no longer a Lions coach, he should be in Qatar for the World Cup. His two crucial goals against the DRC, in the play-offs to the World Cup, made him gain popularity with Moroccans. Failing to have forgotten Ziyech and Mazraoui…
