Hong Kong footballer who feared he would not walk properly after injury eyes China return
Clement Benhaddouche determined that ‘injuries will not define my career’, as 28-year-old reveals lessons learned from mainland stint
When Clement Benhaddouche was without a club in mainland China at the turn of the year, he drew strength from having previously returned to football only months after being told he had a slim chance of walking properly again.
Benhaddouche joined Eastern last month, after 1½ seasons on the mainland with Heilongjiang Ice City and then Suzhou Dongwu, in a switch that bucked the recent trend of Hong Kong players moving in the other direction.
The 28-year-old, whose last campaign was marred by knee and arm injuries, said his return had not happened by choice.
“I missed almost half of last season and my options were limited,” he said. “I was waiting to see if anything happened in the transfer window, but nothing interesting came up. I came back to Hong Kong for a break and was invited to train with Eastern.”
Benhaddouche, who went to college and university in the US, had 4½ years with Kitchee before going to Heilongjiang in 2023. His performances for the northeastern club earned him a move to Suzhou for the 2024 season.
“Playing in China teaches you a lot on and off the pitch,” he said. “You’re often alone and very few people speak English, but I adapted quickly. The football is on another level: there are bigger stadiums and crowds, and better local and foreign players. The physicality and speed is different from here.”