Essaïd Belkalem facts for kids
Belkalem with Algeria in 2014
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Essaïd Belkalem | ||
| Date of birth | 1 January 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Mekla, Algeria | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2008 | JS Kabylie | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2013 | JS Kabylie | 83 | (4) |
| 2013–2014 | Granada | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Watford (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Watford | 0 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → Trabzonspor (loan) | 16 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Orléans | 27 | (1) |
| 2018 | JS Kabylie | 9 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Algeria U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Algeria U23 | 4 | (1) |
| 2010 | Algeria A' | 2 | (2) |
| 2012-2018 | Algeria | 19 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 May 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 April 2017 |
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Essaïd Belkalem (born January 1, 1989) is a former professional footballer from Algeria. He was a strong defender who played for several clubs and also represented his country on the national team.
Contents
Essaïd Belkalem's Club Career
Essaïd Belkalem started his football journey in Algeria before moving to play in Europe.
Playing for JS Kabylie
Belkalem began his professional career at JS Kabylie, a club in his home country. In 2008, he moved up from the club's junior teams to join the main senior squad.
During the 2009–2010 season, he played 20 games and scored one goal. On July 18, 2010, Belkalem scored an important goal for JS Kabylie. It was the only goal in their win against the Egyptian club Ismaily in the 2010 CAF Champions League. He scored with a header in the 75th minute.
In February 2013, Belkalem announced that he would leave JS Kabylie at the end of the season. He wanted to join a club in Europe.
Time in Spain with Granada
In June 2013, after his contract with JS Kabylie ended, Belkalem signed a five-year contract with Granada. This club plays in La Liga, Spain's top football league. He joined them for free.
Playing in England with Watford
On August 12, 2013, Belkalem joined Watford, a club in England's Championship league. He joined them on a loan deal for the season and wore the number 5 shirt.
He played his first game for Watford on August 28, 2013. It was a 2–0 win against Bournemouth in the League Cup. He played the whole 90 minutes. His first league game was on September 14, 2013, a 1–1 draw against Charlton Athletic.
In June 2014, Watford decided to make Belkalem's move permanent after his loan ended. He signed a full contract with the club. On August 10, 2016, Belkalem left Watford after playing 10 games over three years.
Loan to Trabzonspor in Turkey
After joining Watford permanently in 2014, Belkalem moved to Trabzonspor in Turkey. He joined this Süper Lig team on a season-long loan. There, he reunited with his former Algeria coach, Vahid Halilhodžić.
He played 16 league games and eight games in the Europa League, scoring three goals. His loan spell at Trabzonspor ended on June 2, 2015.
Return to JS Kabylie
On January 15, 2018, after being without a club for six months, Belkalem returned to his first professional club, JS Kabylie.
Essaïd Belkalem's International Career
Belkalem also played for different national teams representing Algeria.
Youth National Teams
In 2007, Belkalem was called up to the Algerian U20 national team. He played in the first Mediterranean Trophy tournament in Sicily, Italy. In 2008, he started in a qualifier for the 2009 African Youth Championship against Mauritania.
In August 2009, Belkalem was called to the Algeria Under-23 national team. He attended a training camp in Algiers. In 2010, he was also called up to the Algeria A' national team for a qualifier against Libya.
Playing for the Senior National Team
On May 12, 2012, Belkalem received his first call-up to the main Algeria national team. This was for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
He made his debut for the senior team on September 9, 2012. He started the game against Libya in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Belkalem played the entire match, and Algeria won 1–0.
On May 31, 2014, Belkalem scored his first international goal in a friendly match. He scored the first goal for Algeria against Armenia. Algeria won the match 3–1.
Belkalem was part of Algeria's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He helped his team reach the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.
Achievements and Recognition
In 2009, Belkalem was recognized as one of the top young talents in the Algerian Championnat National. He was voted the third-best young player by DZFoot.
See also
In Spanish: Essaïd Belkalem para niños
