Bendjaloud Salmata Youssouf

Bendjaloud Youssouf holds French and Comorian nationality and has built his career on the French lower divisions while becoming a fixture for the Comoros national team. He made his international debut on 7 October 2015, in a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, and has since earned around fifty caps. His first goal for the country came in March 2017 against Mauritius in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, and he later scored again in a 4-2 win over the Central African Republic during 2026 World Cup qualifying. He was part of the Comoros squad that reached the round of 16 at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, playing all four matches, and he was named again for the 2025 tournament.

At club level, he came through Orléans, where he helped the side win the National 1 title in 2013-14 and go up to Ligue 2, scoring six goals in 68 league appearances along the way. A move to Auxerre followed, then a spell at Le Mans, before he found his most productive form at Châteauroux, scoring nine goals in 47 league games. Two seasons at Dunkerque preceded his free transfer to Sochaux in June 2025, on a contract running until 2027.

Primarily a right-back, he has also featured in midfield across a career built on free moves rather than transfer fees, with each new club taking him on without paying a fee for his signature.