Adel Taarabt: The streets won't forget Tottenham & QPR's cult hero

Updated: 24 Nov, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Adel Taarabt: The Streets Won’t Forget Tottenham & QPR's Cult Hero

Photo: Getty Images

Once in a while, football gifts us a player who defies expectations, ignores instruction, and dazzles with pure instinct.

A cult hero not because of silverware or stats, but because of how they made you feel.

Adel Taarabt was exactly that - a footballer who split opinions, yet left a lasting imprint on every pitch he graced.

Flair Over Function

When Taarabt first landed in England in 2007, he was labelled a prodigy.

Signed by Tottenham Hotspur from RC Lens, the then-17-year-old Moroccan oozed confidence.

But amidst managerial changes and fierce competition from the likes of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov, the gifted playmaker struggled to establish himself.

Yet even in fleeting moments, he made fans believe. His silky first touch, outrageous nutmegs, and audacious long-range goals made him a standout - even if consistency never followed.

What If... Arsenal?

In a candid recent interview with Jamie O'Hara on talkSPORT, Taarabt revealed he was close to joining Arsenal instead of Spurs.

Under Arsène Wenger, with a squad full of French speakers and a philosophy made for flair, things might have panned out very differently.

At the time, I had the chance to go to Arsenal.

I think it was a more French club - for me, it would have been easy with Arsène Wenger, they had a lot of French players. And they were playing well.

I followed Damien Comoli, he was at Arsenal, I should've gone to Arsenal, but suddenly he was at Tottenham, and he brought me there.

A Misfit Who Made Magic

After struggling to break through at Spurs, Taarabt joined Queens Park Rangers, initially on loan.

And that's where the show really began. In the Championship, he was unplayable.

His 34 goals and 41 assists made Loftus Road roar. He played like the streets taught him - arrogant, unpredictable, electric.

Spells followed at Fulham, AC Milan, Benfica, and even Al-Nasr, with moments of brilliance scattered like breadcrumbs.

Now 36, he's still going at Sharjah FC in the UAE Pro League - scoring, assisting, and still entertaining.

A Career of Could-Have-Beens?

By his own admission, Taarabt's career never hit the heights it promised.

Poor decisions, a lack of discipline, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time held him back.

But that doesn't erase the magic he brought. He's not forgotten - and never will be.

I am a big fan of football; I had a great time. Sometimes I reflect on my career and if I had made some decisions differently, I believe my career would be completely different.

Legacy: More Than Numbers

Adel Taarabt played over 300 professional games, scored goals you'll still find on YouTube compilations, and turned average evenings into unforgettable memories.

Football's modern world, dominated by systems and structure, might not have room for mavericks like him anymore.

But in the pubs, in the forums, and in every "streets won't forget" conversation - Taarabt will always have a place.

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