Cardiff's Salech goes from collector to sticker book star

Like millions of other children around the world, Yousef Salech grew up collecting stickers of his favourite footballers.

Now, the Cardiff City striker has one bearing his own face.

The first sticker collection to feature players from all 72 clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two only launched last month – just in time for Christmas – and Salech moved quickly to get one of himself.

"I have one sticker that's of myself. Right now it's on my bedside table," he says. "If I can get more, I think it would be a good Christmas present for friends or something.

"I remember every year getting football cards from my family and then swapping in school with friends and showing your collection.

"It's funny now I have my own football sticker, a shiny one even, to show friends and family."

Countless young Cardiff supporters will want the same sticker for their collections this Christmas, given how Salech has established himself as a fans' favourite during his 11 months at the club.

The 23-year-old is the joint second highest scorer in League One this season, his seven goals helping the Bluebirds climb to the top of the table.

Salech is also popular for his all-round play and work ethic. At 6ft 5in, he is an imposing focal point of the attack but, given his physical stature, Salech's coaches and supporters believe he is often harshly treated by referees.

"It's been tough but it's also made me hungrier in the games and I feel like I've had to work even harder and do even better than the other guys to get success on the pitch," Salech says.

"I'm probably more often going to win a duel than run away from someone and win the race, so I have to use my strength and play as well as I can.

"Football is a contact sport when I have the ball, so it should also be when they have the ball or when I try to fight.

"Sometimes the referees are going to blow a free-kick, sometimes I'm going to lose the duel as well. I just need to keep doing my best to help the team win and to get into good chances and opportunities."

Salech has certainly been doing that lately, with six goals from his past 11 matches in all competitions.

That is a continuation of the impressive form he showed after joining Cardiff from Swedish side Sirius in January, scoring nine goals in all competitions despite the Bluebirds' relegation from the Championship.

Salech was linked with a move away as a result but has stated repeatedly that he is happy to stay in south Wales.

"Cardiff obviously have their say as well, it's not only me, but for me personally I had to think, not only if I wanted to play in the Championship this season, but what's the best for my career the next 10 years and if I want to reach the Premier League one day," he says.

"And in my opinion, I had an opportunity to do something good with Cardiff, with Brian [Barry-Murphy, Cardiff's head coach] this season and to build towards that end goal.

"And that could be in two years, that could be in three, four, five or six years – with Cardiff as well."