Adel Taarabt: The Mercurial Talent Who Left Us Wanting More | OneFootball

There are some players in the footballing world that are simply born to play. Watching these players transcend the game to a new level is what makes fans adore the sport. A player that defined the term ‘natural born talent’ was none other than Adel Taarabt. Skill, speed, strength—you name it.

Adel Taarabt possessed it all, but his career never took to the heights that were predicted. Who was Adel Taarabt and why did his career never reach the level that so many had thought?

Early Career & Rise to Prominence

Adel Taarabt was first spotted as a rising talent as a 17-year-old while playing for Ligue 1 side Lens. Although he had only played two senior games for the club, he was their golden prodigy and a player that was rated highly by top Premier League clubs. He caught the attention of many scouts while playing for the French U17 national team, some even saying he was the most gifted youngster they have ever seen.

While Chelsea had been interested in signing Taarabt, it was Arsene Wenger who was most impressed and wanted the teenager to move to North London. It was their North London rivals he decided to join, however, as Damien Comolli, Arsenal head scout at the time of the player’s rise, had moved to Tottenham Hotspur and convinced the teenager to join Spurs instead. Adel Taarabt had been aware of his popularity amongst London’s elite but joined Tottenham based on their plans for him.

Despite his talent, the former Lens man never seemed to settle at Spurs and his performances were inconsistent. He was still a teenager at the end of the day and had to fit into a side with Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermaine Defoe. It didn’t help either that the club went through three different managers while Adel Taarabt was at the club: Martin Jol, Juande Ramos and Harry Redknapp. In his 15 appearances for the club, he showed glimpses of his natural ability, but not enough to keep him at the club.

Adel Taarabt decided to join Queen’s Park Rangers (QPR) on loan in 2009. He loved London life and wanted to centre his career around the city. QPR were battling in the EFL Championship at the time and were going through a ‘managerial merry-go-round’ of sorts. Paulo Sousa was still in charge when Taarabt arrived and the club went through three other managers, Jim Magilton, Paul Hart and Mick Harford, until Neil Warnock assumed control. This was a match made in heaven for Taarabt, as it was Warnock who got the best out of him.

Adel Taarabt joined QPR permanently from Tottenham in 2010 and it was possibly one of the greatest signings in the club’s history. QPR won the Championship in the 2010/2011 season and you could say that Adel Taarabt had a significant role in their success. Neil Warnock knew he had to protect his star and build a team around him if he were to guide the club back to the top tier of English football.

As well as naming him club captain, Warnock allowed Taarabt to play with the freedom and simplicity that the player would duly respond to. Taarabt scored 19 goals and made 21 assists in the title-winning season and also claimed the Championship Player of the Year award. In an interview with Four Four Two, Warnock explained that it was a risk but it paid off in the long run.

The Genius & Frustration of Taarabt

Taarabt’s skill set was unnatural at times. He made top defenders look like amateurs and he would simply glide across the pitch with his dribbling and creativity. Some of his goals were mesmerising and a joy to watch. His performance in a 4-0 win over Swansea City stands out and exemplifies his brilliance. He scored two and assisted two in what was his finest performance in England.

When QPR reached the Premier League, Adel Taarabt never seemed to reach the same levels as he did the previous season. Although it is a significant leap, it was a tough period for Taarabt. QPR were struggling to adapt to life back in the top flight and matters were worsened when Neil Warnock was sacked in January 2012.

Mark Hughes would replace Warnock, and it was never the same for the midfielder after this. Although he managed to help save QPR from relegation, he only contributed 2 goals and 4 assists that season. Taarabt showed glimpses of his talent, but the inconsistency of his performances gathered criticism, and it took a toll on him. His poor work ethic at training and in games was noted by coaches and fans, while he also failed to adapt his free-flowing game to the team system required to survive in the Premier League.

The following season was better in terms of numbers for Adel Taarabt. He scored 5 goals and assisted a further four but it was evident that the player struggled in this environment. In November 2012, Harry Redknapp took over from Mark Hughes and it became the beginning of the end for Taarabt. QPR was relegated later that season and it sparked a decline in his career.

A Rollercoaster Journey

Having been sent home from QPR’s pre-season training camp in Devon, England, in July 2013 for turning up late for a session, Harry Redknapp decided that it was best that he find a new club. Adel Taarabt joined Fulham on a season-long loan from QPR for the 2013/2014 Premier League season. His former coach at Spurs, Martin Jol, was the head coach at Fulham and hoped to reinvent the talent of the Moroccan.

It didn’t turn out that way, however, as Taarabt ended up joining AC Milan on a six-month loan deal in January 2014. Despite only making 14 appearances, Taarabt scored 4 and assisted 2 in a rather successful loan spell. He loved it at Milan and even admitted, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, that he was the best player there, in a team that also consisted of Kaka and Robinho.

A permanent deal never transpired, due to QPR’s ‘tough demands,’ according to the player. Adel Taarabt returned to London unhappy and made only seven appearances in the club’s return to the Premier League. Relations with Harry Redknapp had also diminished after the manager publicly called out Taarabt’s professionalism after a 3-2 defeat to Liverpool.

QPR eventually terminated his contract, and the player was picked up by Portuguese giants, Benfica. Upon arrival in Lisbon, Taarabt could tell that he wasn’t close to the fitness of his teammates. His bad habits in London caught up with him and impacted his first season in Portugal. He failed to play with the club’s first team for the first year and a half and he moved to Genoa for an 18-month loan spell in 2016.

While playing in Serie A, Taarabt began to fall in love with the game again. He started 18 games, and it was clear that his talent was still there. He returned to Benfica as a new player and his career was rejuvenated. Taarabt began to focus on his diet and training, a non-negotiable for a football player but it was a new lease on life for Adel Taarabt. He began playing with Benfica ‘B’ under coach Bruno Lage and it transformed the player. After Rui Vitoria’s sacking as head coach of Benfica, Bruno Lage was promoted and it allowed Taarabt to make his debut for the first team, almost four years later.

Taarabt was reinvented as a central midfielder and loved his new position. He helped guide Benfica to the 2018/2019 league title and earned himself a new contract in the process. Taarabt agreed to a new three-year deal on a reduced salary. He made 73 appearances for Benfica over those three seasons and became an important member of the squad. It was a rebirth for Adel Taarabt and this renewal allowed him to pursue a longer playing career.

Legacy of Adel Taarabt

After leaving Benfica in 2022, Taarabt joined Al-Nasr SC in the UAE Pro League. Here he made 55 appearances over two and a half seasons, scoring 21 goals and assisting 12. He has enjoyed his career in the UAE and has since signed for Al-Sharjah at the age of 35.

Much has been said over the years about Taarabt’s career and how he wasted his potential. Could he have achieved more with the discipline he showed later in his career? Absolutely. He had an abundance of talent and captured the imagination of fans all over the world. In the end, Adel Taarabt’s career is a story of raw potential that never fully blossomed but left behind unforgettable glimpses of magic.