Malik Faissal
Italian rugby union player (born 2006)
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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]
Faissal with Zebre Parma in December 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 April 2006 Fidenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (14 st; 200 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life and youth career
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
Zebre Parma
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
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
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]