* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 January 2024[3]
Islam Slimani (Arabic:إِسْلَام سُلَيْمَانِيّ; born 18 June 1988) is an Algerian professionalfootballer who plays as astriker forLiga I clubCFR Cluj.
Slimani began his career in his homeland withJSM Chéraga and CR Belouizdad. In 2013, he moved to Europe, signing forSporting CP. He played and scored regularly during his three seasons in Portugal, helping his team win theTaça de Portugal in 2015. In 2016, Slimani was transferred toLeicester City for a club record £28 million fee. After a season and a half in the Leicester squad, he was sent on successive loans toNewcastle United,Fenerbahçe, andMonaco.
In 2021, Slimani joinedLyon. One year later, he briefly returned to Sporting CP, leaving after six months. Slimani then went on to joinBrest,Anderlecht,Coritiba, andMechelen in short stints. He returned to Algeria with CR Belouizdad in 2024 and went on loan toWesterlo in 2025.
An Algerian international, Slimani made his international debut in 2012 and played at theAfrica Cup of Nations in2013,2015,2017,2021 and2023, and was also a part of the Algeria side that won the2019 tournament. He was additionally part of Algeria's squad at the2014 FIFA World Cup, where he finished as the team's joint top scorer with two goals. As of January 2024, he has won over 100 internationalcaps and scored 45 goals, making him Algeria's highest all-time goalscorer.[4]
On 17 May 2011, Slimani scored four goals in a league game againstJS Kabylie, leading CR Belouizdad to an impressive 7–1 win.[8] In July 2011, with his contract expired and several French clubs such asNice andLe Havre showing interest in signing him, Slimani decided to sign a two-year extension with CR Belouizdad.[9]
On 6 August 2013, Slimani joinedSporting CP for an undisclosed fee.[5] He started the2013–14 season as a substitute, gaining a reputation as an impact player due to him scoring vital goals when coming off the bench.[5] Due to the lack of form ofFredy Montero, however, Slimani became a starter and scored four goals in four matches in early March 2014 againstRio Ave,Braga,Vitória de Setúbal and in 1–0 overrivalsPorto.[5] In December 2013 he was considered the best Algerian footballer of the year as he won the Algerian Golden Ball.
In his second season Slimani was successful as he became a key player. His first goal of the season was in theLisbon derby 1–1 away draw toBenfica.[10] At European level Slimani scored his first goal againstSchalke 04 atEstádio José Alvalade in the last minute to finish 4–2[11] for Sporting. At the end of the season he finished third in the league, but in the Taça de Portugal he reached thefinal againstBraga on 31 May 2015, slimani scored a goal helping Sporting turn around a two-goal deficit to eventually secure thecup following a penalty shootout 3–1.[12] where he achieved his first title in his history at the end of the season Slimani played 33 games and scored 15 goals, including 12 in the league.
In the2015–16 season, Slimani said it would be his last season and that he aspires to achieve the title of the Primeira Liga, which had been absent from the club for 14 years. The new and former Benfica coachJorge Jesus said he would rely heavily on Slimani to win the titles and the start was in theSupertaça against Benfica and ended for Sporting with a single goal, achieving his second title.[13] At the start of the tournament, Slimani scored his first goal againstAcadémica in an away match on 4 October 2015, and in the seventh round againstVitória de Guimarães, he scored his firsthat-trick in the Portuguese league.[14][15] At the top of the 15th round, Slimani managed to score two goals against Porto's goalkeeperIker Casillas[16][17] to lead the team back to the top of the league. After this game, Slimani scored in four consecutive games 6 goals againstVitória de Setúbal,Braga,Tondela andPaços de Ferreira. After two matches, he returned to score twice atNacional.
Before Sporting's league derby match at home, Benfica lodged a complaint against Slimani for assaultingAndreas Samaris with his elbow in a Portuguese Cup match on 21 November 2015.[18] After a long wait and one day before the match, the Portuguese League announced that Slimani could participate in the decisive match for the title.[19] However, the team lost 1–0 and dropped to second place, behind Benfica. One week later, he scored his 20th goal this season in the match againstEstoril.[20] After this meeting, he scored four goals againstBelenenses,Marítimo andMoreirense, and Porto. Slimani contributed to the victory atEstádio do Dragão after scoring two goals.[21] In the final round, he scored his 27th goal of the season againstBraga. The match ended 4–0 but was not enough for Sporting to win the league title, as Benfica ended with more two points. That season, Slimani scored 27 goals in the league but finished behind top scorerJonas, with 32 goals.
For the following season, Sporting wanted to retain Slimani but he insisted on leaving the club, and that was finally accepted by the administration. On 28 August 2016, he played his last match against Porto at Estádio José Alvalade and scored his last goal to finish 2–1 for Sporting.[22]
On 14 September, he made his debut for Leicester in theUEFA Champions League playing 62 minutes in a 3–0 victory overClub Brugge.[26] Three days later, he made his Premier League debut in a 3–0 victory overBurnley, scoring his side's first two goals.[27] On 27 September, Slimani scored the only goal in Leicester's 1–0 win against Porto in the Champions League group stage after a pass from Algerian national teammateRiyad Mahrez.[28] It was his sixth goal withIker Casillas in goal in 2016, five of which he netted while with his former club Sporting.[29][30]
After this goal, Slimani failed to score until matchday 11 of thePremier League against West Bromwich Albion from a pass from Mahrez, although Leicester lost 2–1.[31] Later, on matchday 13, after entering as a substitute, Slimani scored the equalizer for his team from the penalty spot in the last minute againstMiddlesbrough.[32] On matchday 15, Slimani helped the Foxes to win againstManchester City 4–2 after he presented two assists for goalscorersJamie Vardy andAndy King.[33][34] On 31 December, after five games without a goal, Slimani scored the winning goal againstWest Ham United at theKing Power Stadium to lead his team to their fifth win in the Premier League that season, on the last day of 2016.[35]
Slimani scored four of his five league goals from headers, but had only managed a 38% shot accuracy by January 2017.[36] After his participation in theAfrica Cup of Nations, Slimani returned to the club injured, which affected the rest of his season where he did not participate very much and scored only two goals, againstSunderland[37] and againstEverton.[38] In theLeague Cup match againstSheffield United, he scored two goals.[39]
On 31 January 2018, Slimani signed forNewcastle United on loan until the end of the season.[40][41] A thigh injury prevented him from making his debut for the club, which eventually happened exactly two months after signing, in a 1–0 win overHuddersfield Town, and he was involved in the build-up for the only goal of the game, scored byAyoze Pérez.[42] On 15 April, Slimani was again involved in the build-up for the match winning goal in a 2–1 win overArsenal, after his header was flicked on by Pérez, and into the path ofMatt Ritchie.[43]
On 3 May, Slimani was given a three match ban for violent conduct after an off-the-ball incident withWest Bromwich Albion'sCraig Dawson, effectively ending his season with Newcastle.[44]
On 11 August 2018, Slimani joined Süper Lig clubFenerbahçe on a season-long loan.[45] He made his debut on 18 August 2018, playing the full 90 minutes in 1–0 loss toYeni Malatyaspor.[46] His first goal for the club came on 1 September 2018 when he scored Fenerbahçe's second goal of their 3–2 loss toKayserispor.[47]
On 21 August 2019, Slimani joinedLigue 1 clubMonaco on a season-long loan.[48] Despite scoring nine goals and seven assists in 18 league games before theLigue 1 season was abruptly concluded due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in May, Monaco chose not to give Slimani a permanent contract.[49]
On 13 January 2021, Slimani signed with Ligue 1 clubLyon.[50] On 18 January 2021, he made his league debut, coming on as a substitute forTino Kadewere in the 76th minute, in a 0–1 loss toMetz. He scored his first goal for the club on 9 February in a 5–1Coupe de France victory againstAjaccio.[51] He scored his first league goal for the club on 21 March, after coming on as a substitute, in a 4–2 loss toParis Saint Germain.[52]
On 1 February 2022, Slimani's contract with Lyon was terminated by mutual consent, effectively making him a free agent.[53]
Slimani returned to Sporting CP immediately after his contract with Lyon was rescinded, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.[54][55] He made his comeback on the pitch forLeões on 6 February 2022, coming off the bench in the 74th minute forPedro Porro in a 2–0 league victory againstFamalicão.[56] His first goal upon returning came on 26 February in a 1–1 away draw onMadeira againstMarítimo, firing in a cross fromMatheus Reis.[57]
Short stints in Europe and Brazil before returning to Algeria
In May 2012, Slimani was called up for the first time to theAlgeria national team for the2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers againstMali andRwanda, and the return leg of the2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier againstGambia.[68] On 26 May, he made his debut, coming as a substitute at half-time in a friendly againstNiger.[5] A week later, on 2 June, Slimani scored his first international goal for Algeria, netting the third goal in the 4–0 win overRwanda in the2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[69] He followed that up with another goal against Mali in the next game,[70] and then scored another two goals in the following against Gambia.[71]
Slimani was selected for Algeria's squad taking part in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, and played in all three group games in January.[72] Algeria, however, only won one point and were eliminated at the first stage.[73]
Algeria qualified for the2014 World Cup, with managerVahid Halilhodžić selecting Slimani for his 23-man squad.[74] On 22 June 2014, Slimani scored the opening goal forles Fennecs in a 4–2 group match againstSouth Korea. He also made an assist for the team's third goal by passing the ball toAbdelmoumene Djabou.[75] On 26 June, Slimani scored with a header in Algeria's 1–1 draw withRussia, helping the nation qualify for theknockout rounds of theWorld Cup for the first time ever after failing to do so previously in1982,1986 and 2010.[76] In the round of 16 match againstGermany, Slimani had a headed goal disallowed in the first half foroffside, while later on, his powerful shot at goal was saved by German goalkeeperManuel Neuer.[77] Algeria eventually lost 2–1 after extra time, but were praised for an excellent campaign throughout the tournament.[77]
In December 2023, he was named in Algeria's squad for the2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[84] He played his 100th match with the national team in the opening match of the African tournament againstAngola.[85]