Moroccan Adel Taarabt, the current Emirati Al-Nasr player, spoke about the changes that occurred in his lifestyle after moving to Portugal during his time with Benfica.
After years of defending the colors of Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham in England, Lens in France, and Milan in Italy, Taarabt joined Benfica in the summer of 2015.
The Moroccan player said, in statements highlighted by the Spanish newspaper "Marca", that he was impressed by the simple lifestyle in Portugal compared to what he saw in France and England.
Taarabt added, "When I left London, I arrived in Lisbon in a Ferrari, and when I parked my car in a parking lot, I was surprised by what I saw... I saw Peugeot 307 and 407," which is an old, modern type that appeared in the global car market in 2001 and 2005, respectively.
💬 “Benfica, that's what you want.”
⚠️ Témoignage exceptionnel!
Avec sa franchise, Adel Taarabt raconte à quel point le club de Benfica l'a marqué à vie.
😲 Have the habit of quotidien who never completed surpris!
🔴 Interview: https://t.co/ushcqtyUyU#Benfica #slbenfica pic.twitter.com/LBEnEtAk06
— 90football (@90footballFr) March 7, 2023
And the Moroccan player continued, "When I arrived at Benfica, I was shocked by what I saw from the young players at the age of 15. They were the first to enter the gym. The Portuguese have the best mentality, so they produce a lot of talent."
Taarabt, 33, added, "Do you know what they were wearing? Adidas, Nike and other sports sponsors, nothing from Givenchy, Balmain or Dolce & Gabbana (luxury brands of clothing and shoes)."
Taarabt concluded, "I sold my Ferrari, and bought another Mercedes A-Class, what a life! A wonderful and simple life."
The Moroccan star participated with Benfica in 129 matches in all tournaments, during which he scored only two goals and provided 14 assists.
Taarabt won two championships with Benfica, the 2018-2019 Portuguese League and the 2020 Portuguese Super Cup.