Hicham Boudaoui

Key strength: Work rate

Box-to-box midfielder

In a troubling Ligue 1 campaign where OGC Nice languish in 15th place amid a fragile DDDLL run, Hicham Boudaoui has emerged as an island of consistency in a sea of chaos. The 25-year-old Algerian box-to-box midfielder has been an ever-present force under Franck Haise, logging 1,309 minutes across 20 appearances while serving as the vital link between defense and attack. Though his return of 1 goal and 2 assists appears modest, it belies his true worth—Boudaoui's disciplined positioning has yielded just 3 yellow cards all season, while his tireless work rate creates the platform for higher-profile teammates like Mohamed-Ali Cho to flourish. With a €10 million market valuation and a 60 rating, he won't grab headlines, but his relentless industry and reliability have become precious commodities. In a season where Les Aiglons desperately lack identity, Boudaoui's understated presence offers the only dependable foundation upon which Nice can attempt to rebuild and climb away from the relegation mire.