.jpg) Anis warming up forTunisia in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anis Ben Slimane[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2001-03-16)16 March 2001 (age 24)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Copenhagen, Denmark | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Norwich City | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008 | BK Vestia | ||
| 2008–2010 | KB | ||
| 2010–2011 | FA 2000 | ||
| 2011 | Herfølge | ||
| 2011–2012 | B.93 | ||
| 2012–2014 | Brøndby | ||
| 2014–2015 | KB | ||
| 2015 | Lyngby | ||
| 2015–2018 | AB | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2019 | AB | 18 | (2) |
| 2020–2023 | Brøndby | 104 | (9) |
| 2023–2025 | Sheffield United | 18 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | →Norwich City (loan) | 18 | (2) |
| 2025– | Norwich City | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Denmark U19 | 9 | (2) |
| 2019 | Tunisia U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2020– | Tunisia | 34 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:24, 24 February 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 January 2024 | |||
Anis Ben Slimane (Arabic:أَنِيس بْن سُلَيْمَان; born 16 March 2001) is a professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forEFL Championship clubNorwich City. Born in Denmark, he plays for theTunisia national team.
Ben Slimane had a tumultuous youth career, playing for eight different clubs in twelve years, but finally settled atAB where he made his senior debut in 2018. The following season, he departed forBrøndby and was included in the U19-squad, but he would garner break-out attention in the second half of the 2019–20 season as he established himself as part of the first team. At Brøndby, he was part of theDanish Superliga-winning team in2020–21. After having made more than 100 appearances for the club, he departed forPremier League clubSheffield United in 2023.
Born in Denmark, Ben Slimane hasdual citizenship and made appearances for bothDenmark U19 andTunisia U20. He represents Tunisia at senior international level, and has played at the2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ben Slimane was born inCopenhagen and lived in theVesterbro neighbourhood during his youth.[3] He started playing for the lower levels of Vesterbro club BK Vestia at age 7, which was the club located most closely to his home.[3] After a few months he moved to theKB academy due to his classmate playing there; a team his classmate's father also coached.[4] Later, Ben Slimane and his classmate signed with theFA 2000 academy, where they were joined by some other talented players. Because some clubs were hesitant to create first teams and second teams, Slimane moved to different clubs in Copenhagen, who were willing to commit to youth football at a higher level.[3] The following year, him and his classmate moved toHerfølge Boldklub, where they were for a short period, before moving first toB.93, where they reunited with the group of talented youth players from FA 2000.[3] During his time at B.93, Ben Slimane played in a UEFA European Club Championship tournament, where he impressed and therefore signed with theBrøndby IF academy.[4]
Ben Slimane was twelve years old when he moved to Brøndby. He played for their academy teams for one and a half years before moving back to play forKB at the under-13 level because of excessive travelling time to Brøndby after he and his family had moved toHøje Gladsaxe.[4] Ben Slimane's second stint at KB was, however, unsuccessful, and he, therefore, began to play forLyngby Boldklub.[3] He played in Lyngby's youth for six months before being signed by local clubAkademisk Boldklub (AB) at under-14 level, where he once again reunited with his old classmates. Ben Slimane stayed at AB for four years, ending hisjourneyman youth career.[4] There, he played for four years, breaking into the first team during his final time at the club. In an interview with theBrøndby IF website, Ben Slimane described how he was among Denmark's greatest youth football prospects during his first years of playing, but those different circumstances meant that he had to fight for his breakthrough into professional football. During this period, he was close to retiring from football but his family and friends' support helped him through the difficult periods.[5] During one summer, where he played in AB's youth academy, he experienced a largegrowth spurt in which he grew 15 cm, which enabled him to become more dominant physically and helped him develop as a player.[3][4]
In January 2018, Ben Slimane left on a one-week trial with GermanBundesliga clubSC Freiburg.[6] He made his first-team debut for AB on 7 April 2018 in a 2–1 home win overIF Lyseng, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute forNichlas Rohde.[7] Slimane made a total of 18 league appearances for AB in which he scored two goals.[8]
Ben Slimane joinedBrøndby IF at under-19 level in June 2019, after he had impressed for theAB first-team in theDanish 2nd Division, the third tier of the Danish football pyramid.[9] In January 2020, he was selected to participate in Brøndby's first-team training camp inPortugal,[10] where he made his first appearance for the senior side in apre-season friendly against Swedish sideIFK Norrköping, impressing in front of scouts fromArsenal andManchester United.[11]
On 16 February 2020, Ben Slimane made his professional debut in an away match againstOB in theDanish Superliga as a starter, which Brøndby won 2–0.[12][13] The following week, he made his first assist, a cross into the box whichSamuel Mráz slotted home in a 2–3 loss toAaB.[14] On 8 March 2020, he scored his first goal for Brøndby in a 2–2 draw away againstFC Nordsjælland;[15] a match playedbehind closed doors atRight to Dream Park due to guidelines implemented by Danish authorities during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[16] After the match, Ben Slimane expressed his regret in not being able to celebrate his goal in front of fans.[17]
On 3 July 2020, Ben Slimane signed a new contract with Brøndby, keeping him at the club until 2024.[18] After struggling to find his way to the starting lineup during the first half of the2020–21 season, he scored the winning goal on 13 December againstSønderjyskE after coming on as a substitute forSimon Hedlund in the 77th minute.[19][20]
On 1 February 2021, Ben Slimane was fined and temporarily withdrawn from the Brøndby squad after breaking coronavirus quarantine guidelines. According to Ben Slimane, he had picked up a female friend at a party and the police had showed up.[21] He subsequently tested negative for COVID-19 twice and was included in the first team again on 3 February.[22] He made his return to the pitch on 7 February as a starter in a 1–1 home draw against AaB.[23]
On 24 May, Ben Slimane scored Brøndby's second goal in their 2–0 win over Nordsjælland. The result confirmed Brøndby as Danish Superliga champions for the first time in 16 years.[24]
Ben Slimane made his European debut on 17 August 2021 in theUEFA Champions League play-off first leg againstRed Bull Salzburg, which ended in a 1–2 loss.[25][26] He scored his first goal of the season on 29 August as Brøndby beat Midtjylland 2–0 – their first win of the season.[27]
On 13 July 2023, Ben Slimane signed for recently promotedPremier League clubSheffield United on a three-year contract, taking the number 25 jersey.[28] It was reported that the club had triggered his release clause which saw them pay under £1 million up front, with performance-related add-ons potentially increasing the transfer fee.[29] On 12 August, he made his competitive debut for the Blades in a 1–0 league loss againstCrystal Palace.[30] He made 15 league appearances during the season as the club was relegated back to theEFL Championship after one year in the top flight.[8][31]
Ben Slimane scored his first goal for Sheffield United on 13 August 2024 in anEFL Cup tie againstWrexham.[32]
On 30 August 2024, Ben Slimane signed withEFL Championship clubNorwich City on a season-long loan, with an option to make the move permanent upon the completion of certain criteria.[33] The following day, he made his competitive debut for the Canaries, replacingForson Amankwah at half-time in a 1–0 league win away overCoventry City.[34] He scored his first goal for the club on 26 November in a dominant 6–1 league victory overPlymouth Argyle, managed byWayne Rooney.[35]
On 14 January 2025, Norwich City activated a clause in Ben Slimane's loan agreement, making his move fromSheffield United permanent for an undisclosed fee. He signed a long-term contract after contributing two goals in 21 league appearances during his loan spell.[36]
Ben Slimane has represented theDenmark national under-19 football team,[37] as well as theTunisia national under-20 football team.[38]
On 1 October 2020, Ben Slimane was called up toMondher Kebaier's seniorTunisia squad for the twofriendlies againstSudan andNigeria.[39] He scored in his debut, the third goal in a 3–0 win over Sudan.[40]
Ben Slimane was called up to theTunisia squad for the2022 World Cup in Qatar on 14 November 2022.[41] On 22 November 2022, he made his debut in a major tournament in Tunisia's opening World Cup game against his country of birth,Denmark, starting in the 0–0 draw atEducation City Stadium.[42]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AB | 2017–18 | Danish 2nd Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Danish 2nd Division | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 2 | |||
| Total | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 2 | ||||
| Brøndby | 2019–20[8] | Danish Superliga | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| 2020–21[8] | Danish Superliga | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 3 | |||
| 2021–22[8] | Danish Superliga | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 8[c] | 0 | 42 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23[8] | Danish Superliga | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[d] | 0 | 34 | 3 | ||
| Total | 104 | 9 | 6 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | 121 | 9 | |||
| Sheffield United | 2023–24 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | ||
| Total | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 19 | 1 | |||
| Norwich City (loan) | 2024–25 | Championship | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 2 | ||
| Norwich City | 2024–25 | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 165 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 184 | 14 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tunisia | 2020 | 4 | 1 |
| 2021 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 29 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 October 2020 | Stade Olympique de Radès, Tunis, Tunisia |  Sudan | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 25 March 2021 | Martyrs of February Stadium, Benghazi, Libya |  Libya | 4–2 | 5–2 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 15 June 2021 | Stade Olympique de Radès, Tunis, Tunisia |  Mali | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 7 September 2021 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia |  Zambia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Brøndby
Anden halvleg så længe ud til at slutte uden mål, men i kampens afslutning dukkede Anis Ben Slimane op og sikrede Brøndby fuld gevinst.
Tunisia squads | |||||||||||||||||||
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