Yannis Tafer

Yannis Tafer (, born 11 February 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger for Luxembourger club Racing-Union.

He is a France youth international having represented the country under-17, under-18, and under-19 level.

Following the 2007–08 season, Tafer signed his first professional contract with Lyon agreeing to a three-year contract until 2011.

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.

Tafer was the top scorer at the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship leading the tournament with four goals and played on the under-19 team that won the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.

Tafer was born in the city of Grenoble in the Rhône-Alpes region to an Algerian father, who emigrated to France from Constantine, and a Portuguese mother.

He began his football career with a local club in the region, FC Échirolles.

After spending seven years with his childhood club, Tafer signed an aspirant (youth) contract with the then three-time champions Olympique Lyonnais.

For the 2008–09 season, he was placed on Lyon's first-team squad and was assigned the 34 shirt, though he was reassigned to the number 29.

Tafer was a key participant in the club's preseason tour playing in four of the five matches contested.

He scored three goals in the preseason netting one each against second division club Nîmes, Romanian club Rapid București, and fellow Ligue 1 club Nancy.

Despite being on the first-team, Tafer was limited to playing mostly on the club's Championnat de France amateur team appearing in 15 matches scoring five goals, which included a brace against RCO Agde and goals against rivals Saint-Étienne and AS Lyon Duchère.

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.

On 24 January 2009, Tafer made his professional debut in the club's Coupe de France match against Concarneau coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute.

In the match, he was instrumental in the club's 5th goal after taking a pass and shooting the ball, which went off the post.

Teammate Kader Keïta quickly pounced on the rebound and converted the goal.

Lyon won the match 6–0.

Two weeks later, Tafer made his league debut making a one-minute cameo appearance in a 3–1 victory over Nice.

Tafer made two more league appearances being relegated back to the amateur team.

For the 2009–10 season, Tafer's playing time was slightly increased.

On 26 September 2009 in his season debut, he scored his first professional goal against Toulouse after appearing in the match as a halftime substitute.

The goal drew the match at 1–1 and Lyon won the match after a late second-half goal from Bafétimbi Gomis.

Two months later, he assisted on César Delgado's goal in a 2–0 victory over Boulogne.

On 13 January 2010, Tafer made his first career start in a 3–0 win over Metz in the Coupe de la Ligue playing the entire match.

On 24 August 2010, Lyon confirmed that the club had loaned out Tafer to fellow Ligue 1 club Toulouse.

The loan was for the entire 2010–11 season and had a buyout option for €4 million.

His signing was cited as a replacement for the departed André-Pierre Gignac, who joined Marseille.

Tafer was presented to the media by the club on 25 August and was given the number 10 shirt, formerly worn by Gignac.

On 25 July 2012, following his release from Lyon, Tafer signed a three years contract with Swiss club Lausanne-Sport.

On 5 June 2014, Tafer moved to FC St. Gallen signing a three-year contract until 2017.

On 12 July 2019, it was confirmed, that Tafer had joined Tunisian club Étoile Sportive du Sahel.

Xamax confirmed on 4 January 2020, that Tafer had signed a deal until the end of the season with the club, with an option for one further year.

On 2 February 2021, he signed with Racing-Union in Luxembourg.

Tafer is a France youth international having played under-17, under-18, and under-19 level.