Spartak was scored by a former futsal player. He played for the French national team!

An interesting newcomer to Torch.

“Torch” almost took away from Moscow a draw with “Spartak” (2:3). The guys from Voronezh lost 0:2, but cameback at the end of the first half. The score was equalized by the Frenchman Reda Rabei – Selikhov struck from the penalty spot.

This same Rabei is an interesting character. The 28-year-old midfielder came to Fakel on loan from the Bulgarian Botev, and before that he actively played futsal.

Rabei in futsal: played for money, but was the leader of the national team

Yes, Spartak was scored by a former player of the French futsal team. Reda Rabei was born in Roubaix near Lille. At the age of 12, the guy got into the Lille academy, but did not gain a foothold there – and left with friends to play futsal.

At 17, Rabei also played in a mini-football team from his native Roubaix, and was listed in the Belgian Mouscron. It was not necessary to travel far – Roubaix and Mouscron are literally separated only by the border between France and Belgium. There was also an attempt to break into the Grenoble squad, but Reda did not go well with big football – and he focused on the minke.

Right in Grenoble, the midfielder got into the Picasso mini-football club.

“Why did I choose futsal? Yes, I did not choose. I did it to earn my living,” admitted Rabei.

Then Reda returned to his homeland again in Roubaix, became the club’s top scorer in the second division of French mini-football and went on promotion to Duay Gayan from Lille, which had just reached the Premier League.

In the new team, Rabei also became the top scorer (scoring 34 goals) and immediately dragged the team to second place. In French futsal, Reda was considered one of the most technical attacking players.

“Futsal gave me technique and explosive power, it became easier for me to beat my opponents,” the Torch midfielder explained. – And in big football it’s easier for me to score, because the goal is bigger. I know that Ben Yedder also played futsal. I love this player, he impresses with movement. Surgically effective in front of the gate.”

The guy played for youth teams for a long time, and in 2013 he was called up to the main team. For the French futsal team, Rabei has 24 matches and 18 goals. In the 2015 area, he was one of the team’s top scorers. 

For example, here he scored 2 and 3 goals against the Finnish national team. Watch out for number 8 – this is the future player of Fakel.