In a rapid fall from grace, ex-Roma and Brescia midfielder Ismail M’Haidat has been arrested for a string of armed robberies in Belgium.

The 22-year-old Morocco international was born in Holland and spent much of his career in Italy with Brescia, Roma, Ascoli and Vicenza, along with brief spells in Portugal and in England with Crystal Palace.

Considered a bright and impressive young talent, he was loaned to KVC Westerlo last summer and that is where things went downhill fast.

In a rapid fall from grace, ex-Roma and Brescia midfielder Ismail M’Haidat has been arrested for a string of armed robberies in Belgium.

The 22-year-old Morocco international was born in Holland and spent much of his career in Italy with Brescia, Roma, Ascoli and Vicenza, along with brief spells in Portugal and in England with Crystal Palace.

Considered a bright and impressive young talent, he was loaned to KVC Westerlo last summer and that is where things went downhill fast.

M’Haidat was sacked by Westerlo in January and his contract with Roma terminated, although the reason was never officially confirmed.

This week, police arrested him for a string of armed robberies, as it seems he fell into a bad crowd in Belgium.

It’s not the first time his career has been waylaid by bad behaviour, but it probably is the last.

He was already kicked out of the FC Twente youth academy at the age of 12, but impressed sufficiently at Brescia to earn a €3m move to Roma in January 2016.

One can only hope his younger brother, seven-year-old Rachad, can learn from these mistakes, as he signed for the Juventus youth academy in July.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector