Samy Benchamma

Samy Benchamma's path to a first professional contract went through his home town. Born and raised in Castres, he came up through a chain of local clubs — AS Payrin-Rigautou, FC Pays Mazametain and US Castres — before scouts from Montpellier took notice. He joined the club's academy, worked his way through the youth ranks with appearances in the UEFA Youth League, and signed his first professional contract in May 2020, making his senior debut for Montpellier that August.

Rather than settling in at Montpellier, Benchamma left on a free transfer to Niort in the summer of 2021, spending three seasons there before another free move took him to Sochaux in 2024. A trend that continued when he arrived at Rodez Aveyron in September 2025 on a three-season deal.

He made 36 appearances across all competitions, four goals and an assist in Ligue 2, alongside outings in the Coupe de France and in the Ligue 1 promotion/relegation playoffs. In August 2026 he moved on again, this time to JS Kabylie in Algeria, signing a three-year contract.

The switch reflects the dual heritage he carries as a player of Algerian descent, though he has not represented either France or Algeria at international level. The move to JS Kabylie marking his first experience outside French football.