Nabil Bentaleb could not have scripted his comeback any better after the Lille midfielder marked his return to the side following a heart attack last year with a goal in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Stade Rennais.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United player suffered a cardiac arrest on June 18 and there were doubts about the 30-year-old’s future in the game.
However, he was given the green light to return to competitive football on Wednesday when the French Football Federation (FFF) cleared him to play after a medical commission met to assess his condition.
The Algeria international scored the opener in the 80th minute — four minutes after coming off the bench — and ran to the Lille bench to celebrate his first Ligue 1 goal for his hometown club with teammates and coaching staff.
“It’s worthy of a film,” Lille coach Bruno Genesio told reporters. “He deserved it … it’s an incredible, wonderful story.
“Nabil’s goal put us on cloud nine, it’s hard to describe … that will remain engraved in the history of the club, of this season. And in Nabil’s mind, of course.”
Before his heart attack, Nabil Bentaleb was performing exceptionally well for Lille. He had become a key player in the midfield since joining the club in August 20231. In the 2023/24 season, he appeared in 34 matches across all competitions and was known for his dominant play and contributions to the team.
Lille OSC is currently performing quite well in Ligue 1. They are placed 4th in the standings with 9 wins, 8 draws, and 4 losses from 21 matches. They are just 2 points behind AS Monaco in 3rd place.