Younès Belhanda

Younes Belhanda (born 25 February 1990) is a French-born Moroccan professional footballer who plays for Galatasaray S.K. and the Morocco national team. Belhanda was born in Avignon, a commune in southeastern France, but was raised in nearby Aramon. He is of Moroccan descent (from Taza) through his parents and has five other siblings. Belhanda began his football career playing for hometown club Racing Club Aramon. He spent one year at the club before joining MJC Avignon, a local cultural center based in his birthplace. The center offered a variety of activities, which included football. While at the club, Belhanda was utilized as a libero and mentored by trainer Jean-Christophe Gleyze. The player has admitted that Gleyze played a huge part in determining his future, stating "He is more than a coach. Since my father worked and I lived in the Gard, it was him who took me to training and my home for three years. Without him and MJC Avignon, I would never have been spotted by other clubs". At the age of 13, Belhanda was scouted by several professional clubs, most notably Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, and Saint-Étienne. Despite Marseille being the most enticing club, Belhanda declined the opportunity, stating "the club is not known for its training center". He ultimately decided to join Saint-Étienne, but changed his mind after discussing the move with his parents, who recommended that he join Montpellier in order to remain close to home.