Benaissa Benamar

Benaissa Benamar
	Benamar in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth	8 April 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Raja CA
Youth career
0000–2006	VVA/Spartaan
2006–2009	Ajax
2009–2012	AFC
2012–2014	Volendam
2014–2015	Zeeburgia
2015–2016	ADO Den Haag
Senior career*
Years	Team
2016–2018	Jong Twente
2018–2019	IR Tanger
2019–2021	Telstar
2021–2022	Utrecht
2022	→ Volendam (loan)
2022–2024	Volendam
2024–	Raja CA
International career
	Morocco U23
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 September 2024

Benaissa Benamar (Arabic: بنعيسى بنعمر; born 8 April 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Botola side Raja CA. Born in the Netherlands, he has represented Morocco at youth level.

Club career

Early years

Benamar played in the youth departments of Dutch clubs VVA/Spartaan, Ajax, AFC, Volendam, Zeeburgia and ADO Den Haag. Between 2016 and 2018, he played for Jong FC Twente, the second-team of FC Twente with whom he suffered relegation from the Tweede Divisie to the Derde Divisie in his first season.

In 2018, Jong FC Twente was removed from the Dutch football pyramid, and Benamar left for Moroccan club Ittihad Tanger. At Ittihad, he made six appearances in the top-tier Botola Pro 1, and also played in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

Telstar

In 2019, Benamar signed a two-year contract with Dutch second-tier Eerste Divisie club SC Telstar after a successful trial.^[4] He immediately established himself as a starter in defense and made 28 appearances during the 2019–20 season, in which he scored three goals.^[1] In September 2020, Italian Serie A club Sassuolo showed their interest in signing Benamar,^[5]^[6] but ultimately could not agree with Telstar on a transfer sum.^[7]

Utrecht

On 6 January 2021, it was announced that Benamar had signed a two-year contract with FC Utrecht, with an option for two additional years.^[8]^[9]

Volendam

On 13 January 2022, Benamar returned to Volendam on loan until the end of the season. The loan had a conditional obligation to buy in case of Volendam's promotion to Eredivisie.^[10] Volendam were promoted at the end of the 2021–22 season, triggering the option.^[11]

Benamar scored on his Eredivisie debut for Volendam, heading in a corner from Daryl van Mieghem to secure the 2–2 final score on the first matchday of the 2022–23 season.^[12]

On 2 September 2024, Benamar's contract with Volendam was terminated by mutual consent.^[13]

Raja CA

On 19 September 2024, Benamar signed a two-year contract with Raja CA.^[14]

Honours

Individual

Eredivisie Team of the Month: October 2023^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b Benaissa Benamar at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Benaissa Benamar tout proche de signer à Sassuolo". lionsdelatlas.ma (in French). 29 September 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. "C'est un choix évident. C'est la Serie A, une ligue de haut niveau avec les meilleurs joueurs. Vraiment un cran au dessus. Les discussions durent depuis environ un mois et demi. Puis j'ai entendu dire qu'ils me suivaient. Maintenant nous y sommes," a poursuivi le défenseur central de 23 ans, natif de Nador.
^ "Benaissa Benamar". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Benaissa Benamar nieuwste aanwinst van Telstar". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). 3 August 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Sassuolo, l'arrivo di Benamar dipende dalla cessione di Marlon". Corriere dello Sport – Stadio (in Italian). 1 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Telstar verliest Benamar aan Sassuolo". FOX Sports (in Dutch). 28 September 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Droomtransfer naar Sassuolo voor Benaissa Benamar afgeketst, andere clubs wilden niet voldoen aan vraagprijs Telstar". Noordhollands Dagblad (in Dutch). 7 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ "Benaissa Benamar versterkt FC Utrecht". fcutrecht.nl (in Dutch). FC Utrecht. 6 January 2021. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^ Reedijk, Tim (6 January 2021). "Utrecht kaapt Telstar-verdediger Benamar weg voor neus Sassuolo". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^ "Benaissa Benamar keert op huurbasis terug bij FC Volendam" (Press release) (in Dutch). Volendam. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Overgang definitief: Maarten Paes verkocht aan FC Dallas". FC Utrecht. 24 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022. Daarnaast is de verkoopoptie in het contract van Benaissa Benamar automatisch gelicht door de promotie van FC Volendam. Benamar zal de definitieve overstap maken naar de gepromoveerde Volendammers.
^ Brandhorst, Stephan; Pus, Milton (7 August 2022). "FC Volendam pakt zwaarbevochten punt in Groningen bij eerste eredivisieduel". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 August 2022.
^ "FC Volendam neemt afscheid van Benaissa Benamar" [FC Volendam says goodbye to Benaissa Benamar] (in Dutch). Volendam. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
^ N, Rédaction (19 September 2024). "Le Raja s'offre trois nouveaux joueurs". LeSiteinfo.com (in French). Retrieved 20 September 2024.
^ "Seven clubs provide players for the Eredivisie Team of the Month". 3 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.