Lassad Hassen Nouioui (Arabic: لسعد النويوي; born 8 March 1986), known simply as Lassad, is a former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Lassad
Lassad in action for Celtic
Personal information
Full name Lassad Hassen Nouioui
Date of birth (1986-03-08) 8 March 1986 (age 38)[1]
Place of birth Marseille, France[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Club Félix-Pyat
Jo Saint-Gabriel
Consolat
Ajaccio
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Ajaccio 0 (0)
2006–2007 Châteauroux 0 (0)
2008–2009 Deportivo B 35 (16)
2009–2012 Deportivo La Coruña 99 (24)
2012–2013 Celtic 14 (3)
2013–2014 Arouca 14 (4)
2015 FC Tokyo 2 (0)
2015–2017 Club Africain 6 (0)
2018 Toledo 2 (0)
Total 172 (47)
International career
2009–2012 Tunisia 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After playing amateur football in his country of birth, he went on to represent Deportivo for several seasons, appearing in 107 official matches and scoring 29 goals.[2] He also competed professionally in Scotland, Portugal, Japan and Tunisia.

Born in France, Lassad represented the Tunisia national team internationally.

Club career

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Deportivo

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Lassad was born in Marseille, France, and he signed for Deportivo de La Coruña in January 2008 after arriving for free from Ligue 2's LB Châteauroux.[3] After impressing with the Galicians' reserves he received his first opportunity with the first team, coming on as a substitute for Riki in the last minutes of a 3–0 home win over Villarreal CF on 1 February 2009.[4] The following week, he earned a penalty which resulted in the final 1–1 away draw against RCD Mallorca.[5]

On 13 February 2009, after some good overall performances, Lassad signed a professional contract, committing himself to the club until 2012.[6] He scored his first La Liga goal on 5 April, in a 3–1 defeat at RCD Espanyol.[7] After a successful campaign, he was officially promoted to the main squad for 2009–10, but struggled with several injuries, making only 19 league appearances.[8]

In the 2010–11 season, a healthy Lassad played 33 matches and scored five goals but the team finished in 18th place, which resulted in relegation to Segunda División for the first time in 20 years. The following year, he helped them to win the championship and subsequently promote with 18 official goals.[9]

On 7 September 2011, Lassad netted four times as Deportivo defeated Girona FC 5–1 in the second round of the Copa del Rey.[10]

Celtic

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On 2 September 2012, Lassad signed for Celtic on a two-year deal, after being released from his contract at Deportivo and passing his medical.[11] His transfer was surrounded by controversy after Levante UD claimed to also have signed the player, who said Celtic was always his first choice.[12][13][14]

Lassad scored his first goal for his new club on 17 November 2012, in a 2–0 away victory at Aberdeen.[15] He netted his second 11 days later in another away fixture, against Heart of Midlothian.[16]

On 31 August 2013, after featuring in 19 games across all competitions, Lassad was released.[17]

Arouca

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Lassad signed for Portuguese club F.C. Arouca on 4 December 2013.[18] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga 11 days later, playing 35 minutes in a 2–0 home loss to Vitória de Guimarães.[19]

Later years

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On 2 September 2015, following a brief spell with FC Tokyo, Lassad signed a two-year contract with Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side Club Africain.[20] In February 2018, after nearly two years of inactivity,[21] he returned to Spain and joined CD Toledo from Segunda División B.[22]

On 14 April 2018, Nouioui suffered cardiac arrest prior to a match against Real Madrid Castilla, being taken to the intensive care unit of an hospital in Toledo.[23] One month later, he announced his retirement at the age of 32.[24]

International career

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Although born in France, Lassad opted to represent Tunisia at international level. He was called up to the senior team for the first time in March 2009 to participate in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kenya, but failed to make an appearance in the match.

Lassad earned his first cap three months later on 4 June, playing 15 minutes against Mozambique in another World Cup qualifier.[25]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Deportivo B 2007–08[26] Segunda División B 15 8 0 0 15 8
2008–09[26] Segunda División B 20 8 0 0 20 8
Total 35 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 16
Deportivo 2008–09[26] La Liga 14 3 0 0 14 3
2009–10[26] La Liga 19 2 1 0 20 2
2010–11[26] La Liga 33 5 4 1 37 6
2011–12[26] Segunda División 33 14 3 4 36 18
Total 99 24 8 5 0 0 0 0 107 29
Celtic 2012–13[27] Scottish Premier League 14 3 2 0 1 0 2[c] 0 19 3
Arouca 2013–14[28] Primeira Liga 14 4 1 0 0 0 15 4
FC Tokyo 2015[28] J1 League 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
Club Africain 2015–16[28] Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Toledo 2017–18[26] Segunda División B 2 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 172 47 11 5 3 0 2 0 188 52

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Tunisia[29] 2009 2 0
2012 1 0
Total 3 0

Honours

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Deportivo

Celtic

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Lassad". Eurosport. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Lassad inicia su período de prueba con el Numancia" [Lassad starts trial with Numancia]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 10 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  3. ^ Cudeiro, Juan Luis (19 July 2010). "Lassad, el futbolista de la calle" [Lassad, the footballer of the street]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 3–0 Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 1 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Mallorca 1–1 Deportivo La Coruña". ESPN Soccernet. 8 February 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Lassad firmó esta noche su contrato profesional con el Dépor" [Lassad signed his professional contract with Depor tonight] (in Spanish). Deportivo La Coruña. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  7. ^ "Espanyol 3–1 Deportivo La Coruña". ESPN Soccernet. 5 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  8. ^ Barreiros, Pedro (9 September 2011). ""Las lesiones son pasado"" ["Injuries a thing of the past"]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Lassad Nouioui: I can hit height of my powers as striker for Celtic". Evening Times. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. ^ Brugués, Marc (20 March 2018). "Lassad (Deportivo), l'últim rival que va fer 4 gols a l'equip" [Lassad (Deportivo), last opponent to score 4 goals to team]. Diari de Girona (in Catalan). Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Lassad Nouioui joins Celtic on two-year contract". BBC Sport. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Lenny dismisses Nouioui signing controversy despite possible Levante legal challenge". Daily Record. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  13. ^ McDermott, Scott (6 September 2012). "Lassad Nouioui blasts Levante over claims he went back on deal to sign for Celtic". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  14. ^ "New boy Lassad Nouioui denies agreeing deal with Levante prior to Parkhead switch". Daily Record. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  15. ^ "Celtic late show downs Dons". ESPN Soccernet. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  16. ^ "Four-star Celtic show class". ESPN Soccernet. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  17. ^ Kyle, Gregor (31 August 2013). "Live: Scottish transfer deadline day, Saturday August 31". Daily Record. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  18. ^ "Lassad Nouioui apresentado no Arouca" [Lassad Nouioui presented at Arouca]. Diário de Aveiro (in Portuguese). 5 December 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  19. ^ "V. Guimarães vence em Arouca e sobe ao quinto posto (vídeo)" [V. Guimarães win in Arouca and climb to fifth place (video)] (in Portuguese). TSF. 15 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Lassad Nouioui en renfort" [Lassad Nouioui an addition] (in French). Afrik Foot. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  21. ^ Ayari, Mourad (23 September 2015). "Repos de trois semaines pour Coulibaly" [Three-week rest for Coulibaly]. Le Temps (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  22. ^ Galán, Jaime (2 February 2018). "El CD Toledo cierra el mercado invernal con tres incorporaciones más" [CD Toledo complete the winter market with three further additions] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Former Celtic striker Lassad Nouioui suffers cardiac arrest in training". Sky Sports. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  24. ^ Duro, José Antonio (16 May 2018). "Lassad anuncia en Toledo su retirada del fútbol: "En la vida hay cosas más importantes"" [Lassad announces his retirement from football in Toledo: "There are more important things in life"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Tunisie – Mozambique: la victoire en vue" [Tunisia – Mozambique: win in review] (in French). Mosaique FM. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g Lassad Nouioui at BDFutbol
  27. ^ "Games played by Lassad Nouioui in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  28. ^ a b c d e f Lassad Nouioui at Soccerway
  29. ^ "Le Tunisien Lassad Nouioui hospitalisé après un malaise cardiaque" [Tunisia's Lassad Nouioui hospitalised following heart ailment] (in French). Radio France Internationale. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
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