Ali Benarbia reflects on his Manchester City debut in 2001
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 8, 2026, 8:50 AM
Last updated Oct 8, 2026
Ali Benarbia, born on October 8, 1968, signed with Manchester City in October 2001. Kevin Keegan, City’s manager at the time, was impressed with Benarbia's skills during a training session and quickly brought him on board. Benarbia's debut was marked by a standing ovation from the fans in a match against Birmingham City, where City won 3-0. His tenure at City, though brief, showcased his exceptional talent and made a lasting impact on the club.
- •Ali Benarbia signed for Manchester City in October 2001.
- •Kevin Keegan signed him after observing his training performance.
- •Benarbia received a standing ovation in his debut against Birmingham City.
- •He contributed significantly to the team's success during his time at the club.
- •Benarbia's career in England began after a successful spell in France.
- 8:50 AMYahoo Sports — A Glimpse of Genius
""I don’t think Manchester Cityfans in the last 20 or 30 years will have seen many players like him..." Kevin KeeganOn this day in 1968, Ali Benarbia was born – in a feature first published in 2021...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
Ligue 1•Oct 7, 2026, 3:51 PMEuropean soccer leaders meet aiming to shape strategy for ousting Infantino as FIFA president
Ligue 1•Oct 7, 2026, 10:45 AMMonaco’s Filipe Luís reveals managerial influences
Ligue 1•Oct 6, 2026, 10:40 AMPREVIEW: De la Fuente’s Spain Chase 11th Consecutive Win with Croatia Up Next
Ligue 1•Oct 6, 2026, 7:50 AMMarseille’s desperation will help Juventus sign midfielder cheaply
Ligue 1•Oct 5, 2026, 2:25 PMBelgian winger Mika Godts knows he’ll ‘reach’ Désiré Doué level and thrive at PSG
Ligue 1•Oct 5, 2026, 7:35 AMBelgium predicted XI v France: Mika Godts to start, Leandro Trossard to return?