PROFILE | Could Reims’ Yunis Abdelhamid be capable of Victorino Hilton-esque longevity?

Coach Will Still’s dynamic, progressive style has made the Champagne club a notable force in Ligue 1 since his arrival last season, opening with a 17-game unbeaten run. Building on a rapidly improving, and increasingly prolific, academy system and previous manager Oscar Garcia’s keenness to deploy youth, much of Still’s success has been based on young players. Abdelhamid has been a clear, and crucial, exception, however, as Reims chase Europe.

Abdelhamid possesses invaluable experience

Balance, especially in overtly young and inexperienced squads, is usually key to their success. Abdelhamid’s experience, calmness and authority offer stability and street smarts that are rare in his teammates. The Moroccan international guides his colleagues through tough moments and is a reliable source of example setting, holding his side together. Japanese international forward Junya Ito and new man, attacking midfielder Teddy Teuma, are the only other Reims players in their thirties.

Although admittedly more exposed by Still’s more forward-thinking approach, the last two seasons have seen Abdelhamid’s statistical output jump under the Belgian coach. He’s making more tackles (2.21 per 90mins over the last two seasons, compared to 1.63 over the previous four league Ligue 1 campaigns according to FBRef) and winning more tackles (1.34 compared to 1.00 in the same periods) while his block numbers have similarly increased. Impressively, Abdelhamid, despite his age, is revelling in that increased workload and is only more forcibly imposing himself on games. Underlined by his stats, he’s carrying the ball more, receiving more touches and completing more passes.

Even in Ligue 1, Hilton’s post-40 renascence made him unique. But Abdelhamid’s 2023 suggests he could yet be capable of matching the Brazilian’s feats. Given his performances, Reims and Still will be hoping he does.

GFFN | Adam White