Brahim BOURRAS

Algerian by birth, Brahim Bourras spent several years in the different youth team categories of Notre Dame d'Afrique in his native country. Diminutive striker, who was lively and pacy, he started his professional career with ASM Oran, before being scouted by Stade Rennais in a friendly between the two clubs. In 1959, he signed for the Red and Blacks, but had to wait until 1961 before he was able to earn his place with the professionals in the First Team. Tireless runner, and with a great vision of the game, he started on the right and left flanks of the Rennes attack, next to his talented compatriot Mahi in the 1961/1962 season. He would play much less the following season, following the arrival of competition in the form of Prigent, and the emergence of talented youngster Pellegrini. He was called up by the Algerian national team for the first time, at the age of 23, for a match against Czechoslovakia in 1963, but he was unable to return to France after the match as he had his passport confiscated. Obliged to stay in Algeria, he signed for MC Alger, where he ended his professional playing career in 1969. Eventually, he would move to Switzerland, and set up home in Geneva, where he became a manager in an international transport company. He still laced up his boots, however, to play for the Veterans team of Servette Geneva.