Welcome to the NextGoalWinner Hall of Fame, the most prestigious of all Hall of Fame recognitions. In this section of the website, we will pick out and highlight some of the most incredible players, moments, matches, managers and just about everything in between from the wonderful world of football.

When we say that we will recognise the most incredible, we are talking of course primarily of those players that the young folk refer to by ‘the streets will never forget’. Although our next entrant is still out there doing their thing, the player we have picked out was simply remarkable, and one many Premier League defenders will still have nightmares about, and that is of course Adel Taarabt’s time at QPR. With remarkable skills, goals, assists and incredible performances, his time in England is more than worthy of a place in NextGoalWinner’s Hall of Fame.

 If you want to nominate another entrant for a future Hall of Fame post, please get in touch @NextGoalWinBlog over on Twitter and we will build up our roster in the prestigious category.

Enjoy.

Before…

Adel Taarabt is a Moroccan professional footballer who was born on May 24, 1989, in Fez, Morocco before moving at an early age to Berre-l’Étang, France. Taarabt started his football career at the age of six with local club, JS Berre before moving on to the youth academy of Marseille. However, he was released by the club at the age of 14 due to his small stature, which led him to join RC Lens’ academy instead.

Taarabt made his professional debut for Lens at the age of 17, playing as a substitute in a match against Nancy in Ligue 1. He quickly gained a reputation for his dribbling skills and ability to score from distance, which earned him the nickname “Zidane of the Valenciennes district”.

Taarabt moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007, signing a four-year contract with the club. However, he struggled to make an impact in the Premier League and was loaned out to QPR in 2009. He made an immediate impression at QPR, scoring against Bristol City in a 2-1 win.

During…

Adel Taarabt’s time at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) was arguably the most significant period of his career. He arrived at the club on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 and quickly made an impact with his dazzling skills and impressive performances.

Taarabt was often used in a free role behind the striker, where he was given the freedom to roam and create chances for himself and his teammates. His dribbling skills and ability to beat defenders were unparalleled, and he was often seen as the team’s most creative player.

Taarabt’s partnership with striker Jamie Mackie was particularly effective, with the two players combining for numerous goals during the 2010-11 season. He was also an excellent set-piece taker and scored several goals from free-kicks and penalties.

Despite his undoubted talent, Taarabt was also known for his hot-headedness and lack of discipline, which often led to him being booked or sent off. He was also criticized for his work rate and defensive contribution, with some observers feeling that he was not always willing to track back and help out in defence.

Off the pitch, Taarabt was also involved in several controversies during his time at QPR. He was fined by the club for refusing to warm up during a match against Fulham in 2012, and was also criticized by manager Harry Redknapp for his poor attitude and lack of commitment.

However, despite these issues, Taarabt remained a popular figure among QPR fans, who appreciated his skill and creativity on the pitch. He played a key role in helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2010-11 season, and was a regular starter in the top flight over the next few seasons.

Taarabt’s form in the Premier League was somewhat inconsistent, with his talent often being overshadowed by his disciplinary problems and lack of work rate. However, he continued to produce moments of magic on the pitch, including a stunning goal against Fulham in 2013.

However, Taarabt’s time at QPR came to an acrimonious end in 2015. He fell out with manager Harry Redknapp, who criticized him for his poor attitude and lack of commitment, and they cut ties in 2015 for good.

Despite his mixed fortunes at QPR, Taarabt remains a cult hero among the club’s fans. His skill and creativity on the pitch helped lift the club to new heights, and his departure in 2015 was seen as the end of an era.

After…

Adel Taarabt’s departure from QPR in 2015 marked the end of a tumultuous but ultimately successful period of his career. He spent the next few years playing for a variety of clubs, both in England and abroad, but struggled to replicate the form that had made him a star at QPR.

Just prior to departing QPR, with the writing on the wall, Taarabt spent time on loan at both Fulham in 2013 and then surprisingly AC Milan in 2014. For both sides however he failed to make any notable impact, with his 2013 loan to Fulham initially set for the full season, he played 16 times and scored 1 goal, before his loan was terminated and he headed out for the second half of the season to Milan, where he had a slightly better impact, playing 16 times but this time netting 4 goals, including a beauty against Napoli just 8 minutes into his debut.

In 2015, Taarabt moved to Portuguese side Benfica on a five-year deal. He struggled to make an impact at the club however, and spent his first season in the reserve side, before being loaned out to Genoa on a 2 year loan. He did play regularly for them in the 2017-2018 season, which meant that upon his return, he was given a shot in the Benfica first team, and eventually made his debut for them Portuguese side, on 30th March 2019, almost 4 years after signing.

Taarabt’s fortunes changed in the 2019-20 season, however, as he established himself as a regular starter for Benfica under new manager Bruno Lage. He featured regularly, making 19 starts in the 2019-2020 season and contributing to the clubs 2nd placed finish

Since this time, he had his contract terminated with previous manager Bruno Lage leaving, he was out of favour with the managers that followed, and on September 1st 2022, Taarabt left Benfica. Since then, he signed later in September for UAE side Al-Nasr SC.