// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho did Malik Faissal call to catch mice? The purr-fect faissal catcher.
 Faissal with Zebre Parma in December 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 April 2006 Fidenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (14 st; 200 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Malik Faissal (born 11 April 2006) is an Italian rugby union player who plays for Northampton Saints in the English PREM Rugby. His primary position is wing.[1]
Early life and youth career
[edit]Faissal was born on 11 April 2006 in Fidenza, in the Italian province of Parma, where he grew up. He started to play rugby at 6-years-old, in 2012, with Rugby Parma.[2]
Career
[edit]Zebre Parma
[edit]In January 2025, aged 18, he was selected for the Italy Under 20s squad to compete in the 2025 edition of the Six Nations Under 20s,[3] putting in a promising overall performance.[4]
At the start of the 2025–26 season, Faissal joined the senior squad of Zebre Parma,[5] a franchise competing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and the Challenge Cup, whilst still a member of the FIR academy.[6] In October 2025, he was called up for a training camp in preparation for the Italian national team's autumn tour match against Australia, under the guidance of head coach Gonzalo Quesada.[7] Then, on 6 December, he made his debut for Zebre on the opening day of the Challenge Cup, against US Montauban.[8] Starting at right wing, he put in a fine 80-minute performance and scored a try in the corner, capping off a team move.[9]
Alongside his professional debut, he was selected in January 2026 as one of the thirty-one players chosen by head coach Andrea Di Giandomenico to compete in the 2026 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[10]
Faissal continued to regularly appear for Zebre in URC after the Six Nations.[11]
Northampton Saints
[edit]In May 2026, it was announced that Faissal has been signed by the Northampton Saints in the Premiership, ahead of the 2026–27 season.[12]
International career
[edit]Progressing rapidly through Rugby Parma's youth system, he soon made a name for himself thanks to his athletic ability and speed, which earned him call-ups to the national youth teams[2]. In 2023, he was selected to take part in the Six Nations Festival U18.[13] In July 2023, he joined the development centre in Milan, organised by FIR.[14] In 2024, he competed in the Six Nations Festival U18 once again.[15]
Faissal was included in Italy's 33-man squad on 17 June 2026, ahead of their 2026 Nations Championship Tests against Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.[16] On 2 July, Faissal was named as Italy's starting right wing in their opening match against Japan in Tokyo.[17] Faissal made his international debut alongside former Zebre Parma teammate Alessandro Ortombina.[18]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Malik Faissal". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- 1 2 Parma, Rugby (30 January 2025). "Malik Faissal, un gialloblù al 6 Nazioni Under 20". Rugby Parma (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Rugby Parma: la promessa fidentina Faissal titolare al Sei Nazioni U20 - SportParma" (in Italian). 31 January 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Doré, Louis (19 March 2025). "'I'm next!': The eight England U20 stars ready to break into Borthwick's side". The i Paper. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Palma, Francesco (11 September 2025). "Rugby - URC: la rosa completa delle Zebre per la stagione 2025-26". On Rugby (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato: gli atleti selezionati per la stagione 2025/26 - Federazione Italiana Rugby" (in Italian). 11 August 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Cassano, Michele (31 October 2025). "Quilter Nations Series, Italia: invitati 7 giocatori nel raduno di Verona". On Rugby (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ OnRugby.it, Lorenzo Calamai- (9 December 2025). "Rugby - Zebre, Malik Faissal: dagli infortuni all'esordio con meta". On Rugby (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "A convincing home win for Zebre, 41–17 over Montauban". www.zebreparma.it. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Palma, Francesco (27 January 2026). "I convocati dell'Italia under 20 per il Sei Nazioni 2026 di categoria". On Rugby (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Northampton sign former Todaro teammate with 'x-factor' athleticism". www.rugbypass.com. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Malik Faissal: Northampton Saints sign promising Italian winger". BBC Sport. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Palma, Francesco (1 August 2023). "Rugby - Selezione Italiana under 18: i convocati per il quadrangolare con Galles, Irlanda e Scozia". On Rugby (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Parma, Rugby (29 June 2023). "6 atleti gialloblù al CdFP U19 di Milano". Rugby Parma (in Italian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ undefined, undefined. "Under-18 Six Nations Festival: Men's preview - Unders Six Nations". www.sixnationsrugby.com. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Italrugby, gli Azzurri convocati per il Nations Championship" [Italian Rugby: The Azzurri have been called up for the Nations Championship]. federugby.it (in Italian). Italian Rugby Federation. 17 June 2026.
- ↑ "Un sogno che diventa realtà: Malik Faissal titolare con l'Italia" [A dream come true: Malik Faissal starts for Italy]. rugbyparma.it (in Italian). Rugby Parma. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
- ↑ Raisey, Josh (2 July 2026). "New Saints signing one of two Italy debutants for Japan clash". RugbyPass.