Bayer’s Ben Seghir in focus

Stats correct as of 31 August 2025

Age: 20 (born 16 February 2005)
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Position: Left-wing/attacking midfield
Country: Morocco (11 caps/three goals)

Key stats

Born in Saint-Tropez to Moroccan parents, Ben Seghir’s footballing brilliance stood out from an early age and his exploits at local club SC Cogolinois soon caught the eye.

Semi-professional side ÉFC Fréjus Saint-Raphaël were the first side to snap him up, and he spent two years there before returning to Cogolinois.

One step back can sometimes lead to two steps forward, and that was exactly the case with Ben Seghir, whose second departure from his local side saw him join Monaco's youth academy in 2020, a side with exceptional pedigree within European football, especially in regard to talent development.

And develop he did. Still yet to turn 18, he had made just eight U19 appearances for the club before he made his league debut for their senior side in December of 2022. Having replaced captain Wissam Ben Yedder at half-time, Ben Seghir scored two goals to fire a Monaco side containing VfB Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel to a 3-2 win away against Auxerre.

He made a further 18 first-team appearances that season, earning him a spot in a France U19 side stacked with talent. The tricky winger formed part of a squad including new Leverkusen teammate Jeanuël Belocian, 2024/25 Champions League winners Warren Zaïre-Emery and Désiré Doué, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jean-Mattéo Bahoya and former Bayern Munich man Mathys Tel.

His three years in Monaco’s first-team saw him net 15 times in 89 games, with 10 of those run outs coming in the Champions League last season.

Ben Seghir chose to represent Morocco at full international level in 2024, and made a winning start to his Atlas Lions career when he came on as a late substitute in a 1-0 over Angola that same year. He was also part of the team that won bronze at the Paris Olympic Games.

Plays a bit like: Florian Wirtz

Comfortable creating from out wide or from central positions behind the striker, Ben Seghir is a versatile attacker with a good burst of pace and an eye for those delicate, defence-splitting passes, much like former Leverkusen magician Wirtz.

Did you know?

Eliesse’s brother, Salim, who is two years his senior, is also a professional footballer and currently plays for Swiss second division side Neuchâtel Xamax having represented Nice, Marseille and Valenciennes in France.

What they’re saying

“Eliesse is a first-class technician, full of ideas and clever in his dribbling, as well as having a precise passing game that can open things up. He’ll give our attack an extra boost. Eliesse can play wide in attack and also in central areas. He’s tough to predict and a top addition for our squad. We can look forward to his displays for Bayer 04." - Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen managing director

“He has a very rare profile and has everything it takes to have a great career.” - Adi Hütter, Monaco coach

“The quality he has compared to many other players is that he is impactful. He always plays forward and is fearless. Players like that are rare.” - Walid Regragui, Morocco coach

“There are very few players who create emotions. All great players have class, and he is already on the right path.” - Lilian Thuram, Former France defender