Ismaël Mickael Bouzid (; born 21 July 1983) is a former professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who played mainly as a

centre-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...

but had also been used as a

right-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...

. Born in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, he represented

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

at international level.

Club career

Born in Nancy, France, Bouzid started his career with

FC Metz Football Club de Metz () is a Football in France, French association football club based in Metz, Lorraine. The club was formed in 1932 and plays in Ligue 1, the highest division in the French football league system, for the 2025–26 Ligue 1, ...

. In July 2001, he had a trial with

English Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

side

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

and played in a pre-season match between Sunderland and

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...

. Bouzid then played in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, Algeria,

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

and France, including spells at football clubs like

1. FC Kaiserslautern 1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern e. V., also known as 1. FCK, FCK (), FC Kaiserslautern (), K'lautern or colloquially Lautern (), is a German sports club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition to Association football, football ...

and

Troyes Troyes () is a Communes of France, commune and the capital of the Departments of France, department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within ...

. Bouzid joined

Galatasaray Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (, ''Galatasaray Sports Club''), more commonly referred to as simply Galatasaray and familiarly as Cimbom, is a Turkish sports club based on the European side of the city of Istanbul including basketball, wheelchair ...

at the start of the 2007–08 season. He made ten league appearances for the side, helping them to win the

Süper Lig The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...

title in May 2008. In doing so, Bouzid became the first Algerian player to win a Süper Lig medal.

Heart of Midlothian

On 9 July 2009, Bouzid joined Hearts from Ankaragücü. Bouzid scored his first goal for Hearts at Tynecastle against

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

on 20 December 2009, which also proved to be the winning goal. In June 2011, after two years playing for the Edinburgh club, he was released alongside

Rubén Palazuelos Rubén Palazuelos García (born 11 April 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Tercera Federación club Vimenor as a defensive midfielder. After only playing lower league football in his country, he spent most of his career in Scotlan ...

Dawid Kucharski Dawid Kucharski (; born 19 November 1984) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a defender. Career Early career in Poland Born in Kostrzyn nad Odrą, Kucharski began his playing career at Celuloza Kostrzyn. Before the 2002� ...

Paul Mulrooney Paul Mulrooney (born 27 January 1990 in Bishopbriggs, Scotland) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and last played for Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Career Mulrooney joined Hearts from Rossvale Boys Club and ...

and

Jamie Mole Jamie Mole (born 1 June 1988) is an English former professional footballer who plays as a striker. Career Hearts Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Mole joined the Heart of Midlothian Academy from Newburn Boys Club in his home-town of New ...

After his release

In July 2011,

Crawley Town Crawley Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Crawley, West Sussex, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system. Founded in 1896 as Crawley Foo ...

gave Bouzid a trial. However, manager Steve Evans decided against signing him after Bouzid played in a friendly match against

Peterborough United Peterborough United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third level of the English football league system. Peterborough United formed in ...

PAS Giannina

Bouzid signed a two-year deal with newly promoted

Greek Superleague The Super League Greece 1 (), or Stoiximan Super League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Greece and the highest level of the Greek football league system. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and repla ...

team,

PAS Giannina PAS Giannina Football Club (), or with its full name Panipirotikós Athlitikós Síllogos Giánnina (, ''Panepirotic Athletic Club Giannina'') is a Greek professional Association football, football club based in the city of Ioannina, the capita ...

in August 2011. Although several clubs around Europe were linked with Bouzid he chose the Greek side because of the 'team spirit'.

USM Alger

On 3 October 2012, Bouzid signed a two-year deal with

Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (), known as Championnat National de Première Division or Ligue 1 for short, and formerly known as the Championnat National 1, is the Algerian professional league for association football clubs. It is the co ...

team

USM Alger Union Sportive de la Médina d'Alger (); known as USM Alger or simply USMA for short, is a Association football, football club based in the inner suburbs of Algiers. The club was founded in 1937 and its colours are red and black. Their home sta ...

. He made just three league appearances for reaching a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Kilmarnock

In the summer of 2013, Bouzid went on trial with

Scottish Second Division The Scottish Football League Second Division was the third tier of the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013. History The Second Division was created in 1975, as part of a wider reconstruction of the Scottish Football League (SF ...

side East Fife and on 20 September 2013, signed with

Scottish Premiership The Scottish Premiership, also known as the William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Scotland and the highest level of the Scottish football league system. Th ...

side

Kilmarnock Kilmarnock ( ; ; , ), meaning "the church of Mernóc", is a town and former burgh in East Ayrshire situated in southwest Scotland. The town has served as the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council since 1996 and is the region's main ...

after impressing on trial. On 25 June Bouzid began a short-term trial at

Rangers A ranger is typically someone in a law enforcement or military/paramilitary role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called "ranging" or "scouting". The term most often refers to: * Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with prot ...

Personal life

Bouzid's younger brother, Adam Bouzid, is also a professional footballer and currently plays for the German side

SVN Zweibrücken SVN Zweibrücken is a German association football club from the Niederauerbach quarter of Zweibrücken, Rhineland-Palatinate. History The association was founded in 1929 as ''SV Niederauerbach'' and remained an anonymous local side until winnin ...

Honours

MC Alger *

Algerian Cup The Algerian Cup () also known the Republic Cup (), is a football competition in Algeria, pitting regional teams against each other. It was established in October 1962, three months after independence, and has been played yearly since then apart ...

: 2005–06 Galatasaray *

: 2007–08

References

External links

* *
Ismaël Bouzid
at TFF.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Bouzid, Ismael 1983 births Living people French sportspeople of Algerian descent Footballers from Nancy, France French men's footballers Algerian men's footballers Algeria men's under-23 international footballers Algeria men's international footballers Men's association football central defenders FC Metz players 1. FC Union Berlin players MC Alger players 1. FC Kaiserslautern players Galatasaray S.K. footballers ES Troyes AC players MKE Ankaragücü footballers Heart of Midlothian F.C. players PAS Giannina F.C. players Baniyas Club players USM Alger players Kilmarnock F.C. players FC Progrès Niederkorn players FC Swift Hesperange players Scottish Premier League players UAE Pro League players Scottish Professional Football League players Süper Lig players Ligue 2 players 2. Bundesliga players Super League Greece players Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 players French expatriate men's footballers Algerian expatriate men's footballers Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Germany French expatriate sportspeople in Germany Expatriate men's footballers in Germany Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey French expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland French expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Greece French expatriate sportspeople in Greece Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Algerian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates French expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Luxembourg French expatriate sportspeople in Luxembourg Expatriate men's footballers in Luxembourg 21st-century French sportsmen 21st-century Algerian sportsmen