Larbi Ben Mbarek: The forgotten genius
¶ 1
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The first to strike gold in Europe
Was that famous Black Pearl
Fondly known as Benbarek
To others the Moroccan Earl
¶ 2
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El Ouatane aged fourteen
Honed the Black Pearl’s stealth
Two Spanish titles for El Prodigio
Order of Merit after his death
¶ 3
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Forty three goals for Stade Français
As Larbi walked the walk
Fifty six as Spain’s Perla Negra
La perle noir du Maroc
¶ 4
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From twenty Francs a day
An Iberian prince at Marseille
The first ever “black pearl”
Very high praise from Pele
¶ 5
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Eight goals against Southend
A first French cap against Italy
War loomed and Larbi went home
With the arrival of the Nazi
¶ 6
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French journalists raged in despair
When Atletico signed a cheque
One wrote; ‘Sell the Eiffel Tower,
But not Ben Barek’
¶ 7
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Idéal Club Casablanca and US Marocaine
Stade Français adding spice
Atlético Madrid Los Rojiblancos
Where Larbi won La Liga twice
¶ 8
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Nineteen caps for Les Bleus no myth
Danced on dictator Franco’s deck
Bel-Abbès and a stadium named
For Haj Abdelkader Larbi Ben M’barek
¶ 9
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number7
© emdad rahman
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