Ex-Eintracht star Khelifi: adventure in the Venezuelan football paradise!

Ex-Eintracht star Khelifi: adventure in the Venezuelan football paradise!

Salim Khelifi, the former Eintracht Braunschweig winger, has embarked on an exciting new journey. He signed with Venezuelan first division club Academia Puerto Cabello in January 2025. Khelifi, who has Tunisian roots and was born in Switzerland, brings a multifaceted experience from his professional career. He was active for Eintracht from 2014 to 2018 and scored 11 goals and 12 assists in 86 games. After a successful time in Switzerland, where he won the championship with FC Zurich in the 2021/2022 season, he sought new challenges in Australia due to injury problems before moving to Venezuela, where he describes the country as a “paradise”, despite the special challenges that football brings with it.

The decision to move to a country known for its difficulties was viewed with skepticism by his family, but his thirst for adventure did not let him deter him from his path. Khelifi now plays in a league where the level of football is different to Europe. The extreme altitudes in Venezuela often lead to health problems for players. Despite these challenges, Khelifi is enthusiastic about his new club's sporting infrastructure, which is comparable in many aspects to that of Swiss first division clubs.

Training and living conditions in Venezuela

The training conditions are intense. Training sessions often take place early in the morning to beat the heat. The players have their own rooms directly at the training ground, which can be used to relax after training sessions. In addition, the training areas are close to the beach, where the sounds of dolphins can be heard during the sessions - a harmonious image that Khelifi greatly appreciates.

But football does not have the same importance in Venezuela as it does in many other countries. Baseball dominates strongly, and the emotions with which football is played surprise the former Braunschweiger. Khelifi has already completed some intensive training sessions and reports on conflicts that can arise in such situations. Nevertheless, over time he has felt more than comfortable in Venezuela and sees his new life there as an enrichment.

Memories of Braunschweig and the future

Even though he is enjoying his new phase of life in Venezuela, Khelifi often thinks back to his time in Braunschweig. He has special memories of the derbies against 95+1 and is proud of the experiences he had with the Eintracht fans. A return to Eintracht Braunschweig is unlikely, but the fans still feel important to him.

Khelifi is considering extending his contract with Academia Puerto Cabello, but a move to Asia or Africa could also be an interesting option for him. At 31, the former Eintracht player still has many opportunities to continue his career on the international stage. The adventure in Venezuela has just begun and many exciting challenges still lie ahead.