Larbi Benbarek

{{short description|Moroccan footballer}} {{Multiple issues| {{Expand French|topic=sport|date=October 2024}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2018}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Larbi Benbarek | image = Larbi Benbarek - 2.jpg | image_size = 200px | caption = Larbi Benbarek in 1940 | fullname = Abdelkader Larbi Ben Embarek | height = {{height|m=1.78}} | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1917|6|16}} | birth_place = [[Casablanca]], [[Morocco]] | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1992|09|16|1914|6|16}} | death_place = [[Casablanca]], [[Morocco]] | position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]], [[attacking midfielder]] | youthyears1 = 1931—1934 | youthclubs1 = FC El Ouatane | years1 = 1934—1935 | years2 = 1935—1938 | years3 = 1938—1939 | years4 = 1939—45 | years5 = 1945—1948 | years6 = 1948—1953 | years7 = 1953—1955 | years8 = 1955—1956 | years9 = 1956—1957 | clubs1 = Idéal Club Marocain | clubs2 = US Marocaine | clubs3 = [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] | clubs4 = US Marocaine | clubs5 = [[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]] | clubs6 = [[Atlético Madrid]] | clubs7 = [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] | clubs8 = [[USM Bel Abbès]] | clubs9 = [[FUS Rabat]] | caps3 = 30 | caps5 = 87 | caps6 = 114 | caps7 = 31 | goals3 = 16 | goals5 = 47 | goals6 = 64 | goals7 = 18 | nationalyears1 = 1935–1937 | nationalteam1 = [[Morocco national football team|Morocco (LMFA)]] | nationalcaps1 = ? | nationalgoals1 = ? | nationalyears2 = 1938–1954 | nationalteam2 = [[France national football team|France]] | nationalcaps2 = 17 | nationalgoals2 = 6 | manageryears1 = 1956—1958 | manageryears2 = 1957 | managerclubs1 = [[FUS Rabat]] | managerclubs2 = [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] | manageryears3 = 1958—1959 | managerclubs3 = [[USM Bel Abbès]] | manageryears4 = 1960 | managerclubs4 = [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] }}

'''Abdelkader Larbi Ben Embarek''' ({{langx|ar|العربي بن مبارك}}; [[Berber languages|Tamazight]]: ''Lɛarbi ben-Bárək'')''',''' also '''Ben Barek''' or '''Ben M'barek''' (16 June 1917 – 16 September 1992), was a Moroccan [[association football|football player]], who represented the [[France national football team|France national team]] 17 times.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=17 September 2025 |title=Larbi BEN BAREK |url=https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/6706-ben-barek-larbi/fiche.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250419155645/https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/6706-ben-barek-larbi/fiche.html |archive-date=19 April 2025 |access-date=17 September 2025 |website=fff.fr |language=fr |type=[[French Football Federation]]}}</ref> He earned the sobriquet of the "Black Pearl" due to his technique and elegance on the ball, and is considered one of the greatest football players of all time,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Marchetti |first=Harold |date=10 April 2019 |title=Exposition : qui était Larbi Ben Barek, la première star du football arabe ? |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/exposition-qui-etait-larbi-ben-barek-la-premiere-star-du-football-arabe-10-04-2019-8050068.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leparisien.fr%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fexposition-qui-etait-larbi-ben-barek-la-premiere-star-du-football-arabe-10-04-2019-8050068.php#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=13 March 2024 |access-date= |work=[[Le Parisien]] |language=fr}}</ref> one of the first great African footballers, and the greatest French footballer prior to [[Raymond Kopa]]. Speaking on the Moroccan player, [[Pelé]] reportedly said: "If I am the king of football, Ben Barek is the god of football."<ref name="LB01">{{cite web |access-date=9 July 2014 |title="Benbarek, a primeira estrela africana no futebol europeu" |url=http://trivela.uol.com.br/benbarek-copa-1946/ |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202016/http://trivela.uol.com.br/benbarek-copa-1946/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In a career interrupted by the [[World War II|Second World War]], Benbarek became the first French footballer of international renown, as well as the first French footballer whose transfer to a foreign side, namely his move to [[Atlético Madrid]] in 1948, was the subject of high-level negotiations. He also represented the arrival of [[North Africa]]n players to French football, and was one of the first players sought out by a French side from beyond the borders of [[Metropolitan France]] when he was signed by [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] in 1938.

Despite not possessing a [[French nationality law|French passport]], Benbarek led the French national team in the immediate post-war period, earning 17 caps over a span of nearly 16 years, which represented the longest international career by time span at the time, albeit that he only ever appeared in friendly matches for ''Les Bleus''.

== Early life == Benbarek was born on 16 June 1917 in [[Casablanca]],<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> then part of [[French Morocco]]. The son of a dockworker, he lost his father at a very young age, after which he was largely raised by his eldest brother Ali.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Mahjoub |first=Faouzi |date=18 September 2025 |title=Larbi Ben Barek, la perle noire |url=https://www.om4ever.com/ListeJoueurs/TopBenBarek.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.om4ever.com%2FListeJoueurs%2FTopBenBarek.htm |archive-date=18 September 2025 |website=om4ever.com |language=fr}}</ref> He grew up playing football in the Ferme-Blanche quarter of Casablanca<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=13 December 2022 |title=Larbi Benbarek, enfant de Casablanca et recordman de longévité en équipe de France : une histoire du football franco-marocain |url=https://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/mondial-2022/2022/12/13/larbi-benbarek-enfant-de-casablanca-et-recordman-de-longevite-en-equipe-de-france-une-histoire-du-football-franco-marocain-C4NWMZOG6FEZJNO5AJNEW7ES4U |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dhnet.be%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fmondial-2022%2F2022%2F12%2F13%2Flarbi-benbarek-enfant-de-casablanca-et-recordman-de-longevite-en-equipe-de-france-une-histoire-du-football-franco-marocain-C4NWMZOG6FEZJNO5AJNEW7ES4U%2F#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=18 April 2023 |website=dhnet.be |language=fr}}</ref> alongside classmates including future professional boxer [[Marcel Cerdan]] and fellow future professional footballer Abdelkader Hamiri, despite initial objections from his mother and his eldest brother.

At the age of 14, whilst working locally as a carpenter, he began playing with a local amateur football team by the name of FC El Ouatane, initially as an [[inside forward]] before being moved to the position of [[Winger (soccer)|winger]].<ref name=":2" />

==Career==

=== Early career === In 1934, aged 17, Benbarek made his debut for Casablanca-based side Idéal Club Marocain, who competed in the second division of Moroccan football.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=16 November 1938 |title=" L'équipe de France pour rencontrer l'Italie à Naples ..." |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k7644746m/f8.item.r=barek.zoom# |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgallica.bnf.fr%2Fark%3A%2F12148%2Fbpt6k7644746m%2Ff8.item.r%3Dbarek.zoom#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=26 August 2024 |work=[[Paris-Soir]] |pages=8 |language=fr}}</ref> His first match would be a friendly against fellow Casablanca side US Marocaine, who were three-time [[North African Championship|champions of North Africa]], in a fixture in which Benbarek scored twice. Benbarek had a strong impact on the side, helping them reach 3rd in the league, and helping them reach the final of the 1935 Coupe du Maroc, which they narrowly lost to RC Marocain. These successes led to him being selected for the [[Morocco national football team|Morocco national team]] for the first time.

==== US Marocaine ==== In the summer of 1935, Benbarek was signed by US Marocaine, who offered him a job as a petrol station attendant for twenty [[French franc|francs]] a day, though rules of the time meant that he could only play for the club's reserve team for his first year.<ref name=":2" /> However, his performances there were still strong enough to earn him another call up. The following September, Benbarek was able to make his true debut with US Marocaine's first team, and he quickly attracted the attention of [[Metropolitan France|Metropolitan French]] clubs, which only intensified after an impressive display in a friendly between Morocco and [[France national football B team|France B]] in April 1937 earned him his first plaudits among the Metropolitan French press. His growing reputation led [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] and their Hungarian coach [[József Eisenhoffer]] to come to Casablanca to try and recruit Benbarek, but talks were unsuccessful.

The following season, US Marocaine won the Ligue du Maroc before competing in the [[North African Championship]]. Following a 4—1 victory against Algerian side Joyeusetés d’Oran in the semi-final, they faced another Algerian side, JBAC Bône, in the final on the 12 June 1938, which the Moroccan side would lose 3—1 after extra time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 September 2025 |title=North African Champions Cup |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nafrchamp.html#38 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rsssf.org%2Ftablesn%2Fnafrchamp.html%2338#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=13 September 2025 |website=rsssf.org}}</ref>

=== Marseille === Marseille were finally successful in signing Benbarak the following summer, beating off competition from [[Red Star FC|Red Star]], and he arrived by ship to [[Marseille]] on 28 June 1938 as a relatively unknown 20-year old.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Djellit |first=Nabil |date=21 May 2021 |title=Larbi Ben Barek, la mémoire retrouvée |url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/Larbi-ben-barek-la-memoire-retrouvee/1254458 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.francefootball.fr%2Fnews%2FLarbi-ben-barek-la-memoire-retrouvee%2F1254458#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=22 May 2021 |work=[[France Football]] |language=fr}}</ref> Benbarek made his first appearance for the club at centre-forward in a friendly against English third division side [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]], scoring eight times in the match, before making his official debut on 24 November at the [[Stade Vélodrome|Vélodrome]] against [[Paris]]ian side [[Racing Club de France Football|Racing Club de France]]. Facing up against [[France national football team|France national team]] centre-back [[Auguste Jordan]], Benbarek scored twice as his side ran out 5-2 victors. In future matches, he dropped into the position of [[inside left]] alongside Hungarian [[Vilmos Kohut]], whilst [[Emmanuel Aznar]] led the line.

Despite having been initial favourites to win the [[Ligue 1|Championship]], Marseille ultimately lost out in June due to a 1—0 defeat on the final day of the season to [[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]], resulting in the title instead going to [[SC Sétois]]. In his first season at Marseille, Benbarek had scored 12 goals. The following summer, he returned to Marseille before the start of the anticipated 1939/40 season, playing four friendly matches in preparation. However, the league was cancelled due to the [[World War II|outbreak of war]], which halted Benbarek's career, even if he himself was not called up to serve in the army as he was not a French citizen.<ref name=":4" />

==== War years ==== Benbarek found refuge in Casablanca and returned to playing for US Marocaine.<ref name=":5" /> During [[World War II]], he won four back-to-back Moroccan league titles with the club, and even a North African Championship in 1942.

=== Stade Français === In May 1945, with the [[End of World War II in Europe|war having come to an end in Europe]], Casablanca welcomed a coaching course led by [[Helenio Herrera]], during which Herrera convinced Benbarek to join [[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]], whose president was assembling a star-studded team in [[Paris]].<ref name=":2" /> Stade Français paid a reported fee of around a million francs for the Moroccan,<ref name=":5" /> and Benbarek proved to be a key player in the side as they gained promotion to the [[Ligue 1|top flight]], all whilst breaking revenue records. During his time at the club, he lived in a two-room apartment in [[Boulogne-Billancourt]], opposite the [[Renault]] factories.

Over the following seasons, however, Benbarek was less impressive against a higher level of opposition, which led to fewer international call-ups, and eventually to the club's president deciding to cash in on his investment in the player, selling him to Spanish [[La Liga]] side [[Atlético Madrid]] in for a deal of 8 million francs and goalkeeper [[Marcel Domingo]] after three years with the club.<ref name=":2" />

=== Atlético Madrid === In his first season with the Spanish club, Benbarek netted 6 times in 18 appearances as the side finished finished in the league. Atlético Madrid went on to win back-to-back league titles in [[1949–50 La Liga|1949—50]] and [[1950–51 La Liga|1950—51]], as well as the 1951 [[Copa Eva Duarte]] (ancestor of the [[Supercopa de España|Spanish Super Cup]]),<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2025 |title=Spain - List of Super Cup Finals |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/spansupcuphist.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828152333/https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/spansupcuphist.html |archive-date=28 Aug 2025 |access-date=19 September 2025 |website=rsssf.org}}</ref> however, with Benbarek netting double figures in both seasons, as he would proceed to do in the following two seasons as well.

In total, Benbarek scored over 60 goals in 120 games for the club, forming a front line known as the 'Crystal Attack' alongside teammates [[Henry Carlsson]] and [[Adrián Escudero]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miguel González |first=Luis |title=Las mejores anécdtoas del Atlético de Madrid |date=11 September 2012 |publisher=La Esfera de los Libros |isbn=978-84-9970-360-2 |language=es |trans-title=The Greatest Stories of Atlético de Madrid}}</ref> He also earned a new nickname for himself with ''les Colchoneros'': "the Foot of God".<ref name=":1" /> To this day, he remains one of Atlético Madrid's most legendary players, and is fondly remembered by fans of the club.

=== Late career ===

==== Return to Marseille ==== Benbarek returned to [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] in December 1953, and went on to score 5 goals in the league and 5 more in the [[Coupe de France]] as his side reached the final, which they lost 2—1 to a [[Just Fontaine]]-led [[OGC Nice]].

==== USM Bel Abbès ==== In 1955, Benbarek signed with [[USM Bel Abbès]], in an Algeria in the midst of a [[Algerian War|war for liberation]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> His new side finished runners-up of the [[Oranie]] football league and reached the final of the North African Cup, where they were set to play [[SC Bel Abbès]]. The final was called off, however, due to the competition being suspended after the withdrawal of sides from Morocco, [[Constantine, Algeria|Constantine]], and [[Tunisia]].

==== FUS Rabat ==== The following season, he received a request from Crown Prince [[Hassan II of Morocco|Moulay El-Hassan]] to return to his home country in order to lend his services and expertise to the improvement of Moroccan football. He thus signed for [[Fath Union Sport|FUS Rabat]] in the capacity of player-coach, and after one season with the club, he officially called an end to his professional football career at the age of 40, committing instead to his coaching career.<ref name=":2" />

== International career ==

=== Morocco === [[File:Sélection régional du Maroc 1942.jpg|thumb|upright|Benbarek with [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] in 1942]] Benbarek was first called up to represent the [[Morocco national football team|Morocco national team]] in 1935 for a game against [[League of Oran Football Association|Oran]], but was an unused substitute.<ref name=":2" /> He would again be called up for another match against Oran in 1936, and again for a fixture against [[France national football B team|France B]] in April 1937, which would draw the attention of the [[Metropolitan France|Metropolitan French]] press for the first time.<ref name=":3" />

=== France === In December 1938, after only three months of playing in France with [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]], popular demand saw Benbarek called up to the [[France national football team|France national]] team for the first time by manager [[Gaston Barreau]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> Despite being born in a French protectorate, Benbarek did not actually possess a French passport, which should have disallowed him from being able to play for France in the eyes of [[FIFA]], who require players to at minimum possess a passport from the country they are representing, but as FIFA never received any complaints about Benbarek playing for France, they never actually looked into the case.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last1=Cazal |first1=Pierre |last2=Coudrais |first2=Richard |date=16 September 2022 |title=Larbi Ben Barek, la perle du Maroc |url=https://www.chroniquesbleues.fr/larbi-ben-barek |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chroniquesbleues.fr%2Flarbi-ben-barek#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=21 August 2025 |website=chroniquesbleues.fr |language=fr}}</ref> Consequently, he was able to make his debut for France on the 4 December 1938 in a 1—0 defeat against recent [[1938 FIFA World Cup|world champions]] [[Italy national football team|Italy]] in [[Naples]], where he, alongside fellow French player of African descent [[Raoul Diagne]], was subjected to racist abuse.<ref name=":5" />

On the 22 January 1939, Benbarek played in a 4—0 win over [[Poland national football team|Poland]] at the [[Parc des Princes]] and was involved in three of the four goals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Coudrais |first=Richard |date=2 December 2022 |title=22 janvier 1939 : le premier France-Pologne |url=https://www.chroniquesbleues.fr/france-pologne-1939 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chroniquesbleues.fr%2Ffrance-pologne-1939#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=21 August 2025 |website=chroniquesbleues.fr |language=fr}}</ref> Around this time, French sporting newspaper ''L'Auto'' launched an appeal to find a sobriquet for Benbarek, resulting in the name "the Black Pearl".<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> Two months later, he netted his first international goal against [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]] in a 2—2 draw, and two months after that contributed to a 3—1 victory over [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]].

==== Second World War ==== In 1943, during the [[World War II|Second World War]] which Benbarek spent back in Casablanca having not been called up for the army as he was not legally a French citizen, he featured for a North African team in a match against a French exiles team. He scored an equaliser in the game from a cross from future world champion boxer [[Marcel Cerdan]], and the fixture ended as a 1-1 draw.<ref name=":2" />

=== Return to France === Benbarek's return to France with [[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]] in 1945 allowed him to once again be called up by France, but he didn't shine in two away defeats in late 1945 against Austria and Belgium.<ref name=":4" /> He made four more appearances for France in April and May 1946, including France's first victory against [[England men's national football team|England]].

Due to less impressive club form following Stade Français' promotion to the [[Ligue 1|top flight]],<ref name=":2" /> Benbarek received fewer call-ups over the next two years, only appearing twice in 1947 in two fixtures against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]], including a home victory in March and a 4-2 away defeat in November which he scored in. He earned more caps in 1948, however, appearing in two defeats against Italy and Belgium, the latter of which he scored his third and final international goal in, and in two victories against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] and [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]].<ref name=":0" />

==== Move to Spain ==== Benbarek's 1948 move to Spanish side [[Atlético Madrid]] was poorly received in France, and led to him not appearing in the national side for another six years due to the relationship between club and national sides at the time, as clubs tended to refuse to free up foreign players for national team selections and football federations were unwilling to pay the cost of the return journey.<ref name=":6" />

==== Final bow ==== Having returned to Marseille and France in December 1953, Benbarek took part in early October 1954 in a charity match at the Parc des Princes for victims of the [[1954 Chlef earthquake]] in [[French Algeria|Algeria]], playing in a [[North Africa]] XI against France, which the North African side would win 3-2.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2025 |title=Algeria - Equipe ALN and Equipe FLN - History and Matches |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/alg-fln-intres.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rsssf.org%2Ftablesa%2Falg-fln-intres.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=19 September 2025 |website=rsssf.org}}</ref> Benbarek's performance in the match and his prestige were such that the French public successfully demanded his re-inclusion in the national team. He was included, aged 37, in the French squad to play [[West Germany national football team|West Germany]] in [[Hanover]] on the 16 October 1954,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> a fixture which he started in. Unfortunately, however, he was injected within half an hour, and had to be taken off, which would also represent the end of his international career.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />

One of the finest players ever to represent France, he made a total of 17 appearances and scored 3 goals for ''Les Bleus'' between 1938 and 1954. At 37 years and 4 months old at the time of his final appearance, he held the record of oldest player to ever represent France for a long time, but has since been passed by [[Bernard Lama]] and [[Steve Mandanda]]. Benbarek still holds the record, however, of the longest career with the France national team, spanning 15 years and 10 months from his debut in December 1938 to his final appearance in October 1954, as of September 2025.<ref name=":0" /> He is also one of only four Moroccans to have played for France, and the only one to have earned a double digits number of caps.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2025 |title=Moroccans in the French National Team |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/marofran-recintlp.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rsssf.org%2Fmiscellaneous%2Fmarofran-recintlp.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=21 August 2025 |website=rsssf.org}}</ref>

== Style of play == Benbarek played as a [[Striker (football)|striker]]<ref name=":5" /> and as a sort of [[attacking midfielder]],<ref name=":1" /> and was described as lively and powerful,<ref name=":4" /> as well as having exceptional technique and above-average stamina.<ref name=":3" /> In Morocco, he also played as a [[wing-half]] and as a [[centre-half]].

For nearly two decades, Benbarek captivated crowds with his jumping ability, passing skills, and dribbling, who was set apart by his elegance, fluidity, balance, and sense of showmanship. Fellow [[France national football team|France]] legend [[Just Fontaine]] described Benbarek as having been in the same league as [[Pelé]] and [[Alfredo Di Stéfano|Di Stefano]], and attributes his lesser reputation to the fact that Benbarek largely played before television, and thus could not be watched by everyone as could latter players.<ref name=":1" />

== Coaching career == After his retirement from playing, Benbarek continued managing [[Fath Union Sport|FUS Rabat]], and in 1957 was charged with preparing the [[Morocco national football team|Morocco national team]] for the [[1957 Arab Games|second edition of the Arab Games]] in [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]]. At the games, Morocco managed to hold [[Iraq national football team|Iraq]] to a draw and defeat [[Libya national football team|Libya]] and [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]], which earned them the gold medal. Benbarek was then dismissed by the [[Royal Moroccan Football Federation]].<ref name=":2" />

In 1958, he accepted the position of coach at his former club [[USM Bel Abbès]] for one season.

In 1960, Benbarek returned to coach Morocco for one final time.

==Later life== Larbi Ben Barek died in his hometown on 16 September 1992, alone and in dire poverty, with his body only discovered three days after his death.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rouaba |first=Ahmed |date=22 January 2021 |title=The African pioneers who paved the way for Weah, Salah, Mahrez |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/53738752 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211025314/https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/53738752 |archive-date=11 Feb 2021 |access-date=19 September 2025 |work=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

== Legacy == Six years after his death, he was awarded the [[FIFA Order of Merit]], [[FIFA]]'s highest honour, and King [[Hassan II of Morocco|Hassan II]] renamed the [[Larbi Benbarek Stadium|Stade Philip]] to the Larbi Benbarek Stadium in his honour. In December 2020, [[French President]] [[Emmanuel Macron]] named Benbarek as one of the prominent figures from overseas territories, former colonies, or immigrant backgrounds who had helped shape [[France]], in an effort to encourage honouring such figures by naming streets and public buildings after them.<ref name=":5" />

==Honours== '''US Marocaine''' *Moroccan League: 1937–38, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43 *Moroccan Cup: 1936, 1941, 1944 *[[North African Championship]]: 1941–42

'''Atlético de Madrid'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdfutbol.com/es/j/j9995.html|title=Ben Barek - BDFutbol|language=es}}</ref> *[[La Liga]]: [[1949–50 La Liga|1949–50]], [[1950–51 La Liga|1950–51]] *[[Copa Eva Duarte]]: 1951

'''Morocco (LMFA)''' *Morocco-Oranie inter-leagues: 1936

'''Recognitions''' *[[FIFA Order of Merit]]: 1998 *[[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]] All-time Morocco Men's Dream Team<ref>{{cite web |date=1 March 2022 |title=IFFHS |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1722 |access-date=3 March 2022 |publisher=IFFHS}}</ref> *''So Foot'' Top 1000 Best Players of the [[Ligue 1|French First Division]]: 285th<ref name=":42">{{Cite news |last1=Ballue |first1=Quentin |last2=Baron |first2=Jérémie |last3=Bentaha |first3=Adel |last4=Brosse |first4=Raphaël |last5=Gavard |first5=Clément |last6=Oliveira |first6=Stephen |display-authors=2 |date=25 October 2022 |title=Top 1000 : les meilleurs joueurs du championnat de France (290-281) |url=https://www.sofoot.com/articles/top-1000-les-meilleurs-joueurs-du-championnat-de-france-290-281-en-partenariat-avec-amazon-prime-video#slide-285 |access-date=24 September 2025 |work=So Foot |language=fr}}</ref>

==References== ; {{Reflist}} ;Bibliography * {{Cite journal|last=Frenkiel|first=Stanislas|title=Larbi Ben Barek, Marcel Cerdan et Alfred Nakache : icônes de l'utopie impériale dans la presse métropolitaine (1936–1944)?|journal=Staps|year=2008|volume=2|issue=80|pages=99–113|doi=10.3917/sta.080.0099|url=http://www.stanislasfrenkiel.com/var/f/0i/ng/0ingIVn1YapJ2kEgZu4Ws0C6qLbB3wSQGFyxOArUPKX_master.pdf}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benbarek, Larbi}} [[Category:1917 births]] [[Category:1992 deaths]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Moroccan descent]] [[Category:Moroccan men's footballers]] [[Category:French men's footballers]] [[Category:France men's international footballers]] [[Category:Footballers from Casablanca]] [[Category:Olympique de Marseille players]] [[Category:Stade Français (association football) players]] [[Category:Ligue 1 players]] [[Category:La Liga players]] [[Category:Atlético Madrid footballers]] [[Category:Moroccan football managers]] [[Category:Morocco national football team managers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Spain]] [[Category:French expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Wydad AC players]] [[Category:USM Bel Abbès players]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:AS FAR managers]] [[Category:Shilha people]] [[Category:Moroccan Muslims]] [[Category:20th-century French sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century Moroccan sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century Berber people]]