World Cup, Bundesliga, Champions League: Bensebaini is 'Mr Indispensable' | OneFootball

He plays and plays and plays. Ramy Bensebaini spends a good fifth of the year on the football field. And this doesn't even take into account the time for training sessions and traveling to away games. The 30-year-old defender from Borussia Dortmund has become an all-round player.

By the end of this football season, Bensebaini could have no fewer than 72 appearances, as Reviersport calculates. The Algerian is active not only for BVB but also for his country. The North Africans recently qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico (June 11 to July 19, 2026). The 75-time international is almost certain to be part of the tournament squad.

This season began for Bensebaini with five appearances at the Club World Cup. Due to the tense personnel situation, head coach Niko Kovač (54) used him in all matches in central defense. The defender played every match from the first to the last minute.

Between the exit in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid (2:3) and the start in the DFB-Pokal at Rot-Weiss Essen (1:0) there were just over six weeks. Six Bundesliga matches and two Champions League appearances followed. Who was always there? Bensebaini consistently played the full 90 minutes. Including the Club World Cup, the Algerian already has 14 appearances on record.

Demanded in Club and National Team

Under Kovač, Bensebaini has stabilized his performances. The BVB coach appointed him as the number one penalty taker. This was evident during the wild 4:4 spectacle in the Champions League at Juventus Turin to Serhou Guirassy (29). When the striker lined up the ball for a penalty, he had to reluctantly hand over the execution to the defender – who converted cold-bloodedly.

Many more matches could be added for the Algerian this season. There are still 28 rounds in the Bundesliga. To win the DFB-Pokal, Dortmund must win five more knockout duels. The Champions League, World Cup qualification, and the Africa Cup at the end of 2025 or early 2026 also demand Bensebaini's attention. The World Cup concludes the season.

In the event of a successful series with both club and national team, the 30-year-old could reach 72 appearances. There isn't much time left for recovery. The international players' union FIFPro, by the way, recommends no more than 55 games per season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.