Yannis Tafer - International Career

International Career

Tafer is a France youth international having played under-17, under-18, and under-19 level. He made his youth international debut with the under-17 team on 2 October 2007 against Switzerland. Tafer scored a brace in the team's 4–0 victory. On 4 December 2007, Tafer scored both goals in the team's 2–1 win over Turkey. At the Algarve Cup in Portugal, he helped the team to a 2nd place finish by scoring his fifth goal of the campaign in the team's 4–2 win against Denmark. In the Elite Round portion of qualification for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, Tafer scored a double against Israel in the team's second group stage match. France finished the round unbeaten, which led to qualification to the UEFA-sanctioned tournament. At the tournament, Tafer led all players with four goals scored. He scored all of his goals in the group stage netting one against the Republic of Ireland, another one against Spain, and two goals against Switzerland. France later reached the final where they were defeated 4–0 by Spain. Tafer finished the campaign with the under-17s appearing in 19 matches and scoring a team-high 11 goals.

With the under-18 team, Tafer scored a team-leading seven goals in only eight matches. On 25 March 2009, he scored a hat trick against Germany in a 4–3 victory. On 13 June, Tafer converted another hat trick, this time against England in a 4–2 victory. The match was played at Wembley Stadium in front of 15,000 spectators and the victory resulted in the team being presented the Fallenhero Trophy by The Football Association chairman Trevor Brooking. For under-19 duty, Tafer was again called upon by coach Francis Smerecki making his first appearance with the team at the 2009 edition of the Sendaï Cup. Beginning with the team's 2–1 victory over Belgium, Tafer scored a goal in four straight matches. On 7 June 2010, he was named to Smerecki's 18-man squad to participate in the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. In the tournament, he scored the opening goal in the team's 1–1 draw with England. The draw assured the club a place in the semi-final portion of the competition where France defeated Croatia 2–1. In the final, Tafer appeared as a halftime substitute and assisted on the team's opening goal scored by Gilles Sunu. France had been trailing 1–0 prior to the equalizer. France won the match 2–1 following a late goal from Tafer's domestic teammate Alexandre Lacazette. The title is the country's second UEFA Under-19 championship.

Due to France's victory at the UEFA Under-19 championship, the nation qualified for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which merited under-20 team appearances for Tafer. After missing the team's opening match of the season against Portugal, he made his under-20 debut in the team's 1–0 win over Montenegro. On 17 May 2011, Tafer scored his first goal for the team in its 3–3 draw with the United States netting France's opening goal. In the return match two days later, he scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 win. Tafer later participated in the 2011 Toulon Tournament with the under-20 team and scored a goal in a 4–1 group stage win over Mexico. On 10 June, Tafer was named to the 21-man squad to participate in the U-20 World Cup. He made his debut in the competition on 30 July 2011 in the team's 4–1 defeat to the hosts Colombia appearing as a substitute. Tafer is also eligible to represent Algeria and Portugal at international level.