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.