Ishak Belfodil

Ishak Belfodil (Arabic: اسحاق بلفوضيل‎; born 12 January 1992)[1] is an Algerian footballer who plays as a striker for 1899 Hoffenheim and the Algeria national team.

Ishak Belfodil
Belfodil training with Werder Bremen in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-01-12) 12 January 1992
Place of birth Mostaganem, Algeria
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position(s) Forward, Winger
Club information
Current team
 1899 Hoffenheim
Number 19
Youth career
1997–2003 Élancourt
2003–2005 Trappes Saint-Quentin
2005–2006 Paris Saint-Germain
2006–2007 Boulogne-Billancourt
2007–2008 Clermont
2008–2010 Lyon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Lyon 10 (0)
2012 → Bologna (loan) 8 (0)
2012–2013 Parma 33 (8)
2013–2014 Internazionale 8 (0)
2014 → Livorno (loan) 17 (0)
2014–2015 Parma 23 (1)
2015–2016 Baniyas Club 23 (11)
2016–2018 Standard Liège 28 (15)
2017–2018 → Werder Bremen (loan) 26 (4)
2018– 1899 Hoffenheim 27 (15)
National team‡
2008–2009 France U17 3 (0)
2009–2010 France U18 6 (2)
2010–2011 France U19 13 (2)
2011 France U20 2 (1)
2013– Algeria 17 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:12, 11 May 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:00, October 26, 2018 (EST)

A former France youth international, he was called up to the Algeria national team for the first time in August 2012.

Club career

Early career

Belfodil began his football career at OSC Elancourt, a club located in the western suburbs of Paris, and spent his formative years at the club. He later joined nearby club Trappes FC.[2] While at Trappes, Belfodil passed the entrance tests required to attend the Clairefontaine academy, but was not selected following failure of the final test.[3] As a result, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain spending only a year at the Camp des Loges, the club's training center. Belfodil attributed only one year there primarily due to not focusing on his studies and not receiving enough playing time with his youth section. In 2004, he joined AC Boulogne Billencourt, a sports club that also trained international players Hatem Ben Arfa and Issiar Dia. In 2007, Belfodil secured a move to Ligue 2 club Clermont Foot.[3]

Belfodil spent only a year at Clermont and, while playing with the club under-16 team, scored nine of the team's first 15 goals in the Championnat National under-16 league becoming the top scorer of the league.[4] His play sparked the interest of several clubs, most notably French club Lyon and English clubs Chelsea and Manchester United.[5] On 13 November 2008, Lyon announced that they had acquired Belfodil and he had signed an aspirant (youth) contract with the club until June 2011.[6]

Lyon

For the duration of the 2008–09 season, Belfodil played on the club's under-18 team. He was a member of the team that reached the 2008–09 Coupe Gambardella semi-finals appearing in six matches scoring two goals. Belfodil also made one appearance on the club's Championnat de France amateur team. In just the third week of the 2009–10 season, he was called up to the senior team for the club's match against Auxerre on 22 August and made his debut in that match coming on as a substitute for Jean-Alain Boumsong in the 85th minute. Lyon won the match 3–0.[7] Belfodil made his UEFA Champions League debut three days later, in the second leg of the club's playoff round match against Anderlecht appearing as a substitute in the 60th minute for Lisandro López.[8] On 16 July 2010, he signed his first professional contract agreeing to a three-year deal until 2014. Due to still having another year left on his aspirant (youth) contract, the contract took effect beginning 1 July 2011.

Parma

After spending six months on loan at Bologna from January to June 2012, Belfodil signed with Serie A club Parma on 30 June 2012 for €2.5 million plus €600,000 bonuses and 20% profit of future transfer.[9] He had a successful first season with Parma, where he scored eight Serie A goals playing as a striker and left winger.

Inter

On 5 July 2013, after long negotiations, Belfodil was announced as an Internazionale player. The transfer involved 50% of Belfodil's economic rights remaining with Parma, while he signed a five-year contract with Inter[10] for a €5.75 million transfer fee. (50% of €11.5 million valuation)[11] On 3 February 2014, FIFA also ruled that Lyon was eligible to receive €1.8 million due to the bonus clause.[11] Belfodil was given the number 7 shirt at Inter.

On 22 July 2013, Belfodil scored his first goal for Inter in their 3–1 pre-season triumph over Vicenza; after his initial shot was saved by the goalkeeper, from the subsequent corner in the 42nd minute, Belfodil guided the ball into the net via a powerful header.[12]

After making just eight league appearances in the first half of the 2013–14 Serie A season, all of them as a substitute, Belfodil joined fellow Serie A club Livorno on loan for the remainder of the season on 31 January 2014.[13] At Livorno, Belfodil got a lot more playing time but his form was poor in a side that was ultimately relegated, failing to register a goal or assist in his time there.

Return to Parma

On 20 June 2014, Parma bought back 50% of Belfodil's contract from Inter so that the Crociati once again owned the entirety of the player's contract.[14] The transfer fee was €5.75 million, despite in a cashless player swaps that involved Lorenzo Crisetig (€4.75 million)[11] and Yao Eloge Koffi (for €1 million). After an ongoing financial crisis of the club which Parma and its intermediate holding company were declared bankrupted in the mid-season, Belfodil terminated his contract with Parma on 6 May 2015, which he waived the club the liability for the unpaid wages,[15] despite the club also suffered from the write-down of the residual value of Belfodil's contract for about €8.25 million.

Baniyas

On 28 July 2015, Belfodil has officially joined Baniyas Club, signing a two-year contract with the UAE Arabian Gulf League side.[16]

Standard Liège

On 31 August 2016, Belfodil signed a one-year contract with Belgian club Standard Liège, with an option to extend for another year.[17]

Werder Bremen (loan)

On 31 August 2017, the last day of the German summer transfer window, he joined Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on a one-year loan, reportedly for a loan fee of €600,000. Werder Bremen secured an option to sign him permanently, reportedly for a transfer fee of €6.5 million, with sporting director Frank Baumann stating it is in the "single-digit million" range.[18][19]

Hoffenheim

In May 2018, it was announced that Belfodil would join 1899 Hoffenheim for the 2018–19 season having signed a contract until 2022 with the club. The transfer fee paid to Standard Liège was reported as €5.5 million.[20]

On 9 February 2019 he scored back to back 2 goals in a stunning comeback against Dortmund in Bundesliga. Hoffenheim were lagging behind by 0-3, then he scored the first goal in 75 th and the equaliser in 87 th minute to complete the comeback.[21]

International career

Belfodil is eligible for both France and Algeria. As a youth, he considered Algeria as he was ineligible to represent France as he had not received a passport. Belfodil asked his father to inform Algeria of his intention to play for them; however, his inquiries went unnoticed. Following his move to Lyon, the Algerian Football Federation sent an invitation, but Belfodil informed them that it was too late.[3] In 2009, Belfodil was awarded his French passport and was subsequently called up to the under-17 team to participate in the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship. He appeared in all three of the team's matches as they suffered group stage elimination.

Belfodil returned to international duty for the 2009–10 season under coach Philippe Bergeroo with the under-18 team. He made his debut for the team on 27 October 2009 in a friendly match against Denmark.[22] On 8 December, he scored his first international youth goal in a 1–1 draw against the Ukraine.[23] In 2010, he finished the campaign by scored against Germany at the Cloppenburg Arena in another 1–1 draw.[24] Belfodil remained a cog in the team under coach Bergeroo for under-19 team duty. On 12 September 2010, he scored his first goal with the team in a 2–2 draw with Brazil in the 2010 edition of the Sendai Cup.[25] In first round qualification for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, he scored the only goal in the team's final group stage match win over Austria.[26]

On 25 August 2012, Belfodil was called up by Vahid Halilhodžić to the Algeria national team for the first time for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.[27] However, FIFA had not yet processed his allegiance switch to Algeria and his club refused to release him for the game.[28] He was replaced by Mohamed Seguer. On 26 September 2012, FIFA announced that Belfodil's application was processed and he was eligible to represent Algeria.[29]

Career statistics

Club
As of 20 April 2019[30][31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lyon 2009–10 Ligue 1 130001[lower-alpha 1]000140
2010–11 0000000000
2011–12 70002[lower-alpha 1]00090
Total 200003000230
Bologna (loan) 2011–12 Serie A 8000000080
Parma 2012–13 338100000348
Inter Milan 2013–14 80210000101
Livorno (loan) 2013–14 170000000170
Parma 2014–15 231000000231
Baniyas Club 2015–16 Arabian Gulf League 23113000002611
Standard Liège 2016–17 Belgian First Division A 2511005[lower-alpha 2]37[lower-alpha 3]33717
2017–18 3000000030
Total 28110053734017
Werder Bremen 2017–18 Bundesliga 26432——297
Hoffenheim 2018–19 28162051—3116
Career total 214511121347324560
  1. Appearances in the Champions League
  2. Appearances in the Europa League
  3. Appearances in the First Division A 'Europa League' playoffs

International goals
Scores and results list Algeria's goal totally first
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.30 March 2015Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha Oman1–04–1Friendly
2.4–0
gollark: You could try the windows subsystem for Linux, apparently it mostly works.
gollark: What's a Metrovania?
gollark: Good ones, mostly, it seems popular.
gollark: Maybe I should buy this "Terraria", I have heard things about it.
gollark: What, so when someone comes up with something, you try and retroactively work it in as something already being done?

References
  1. "BELFODIL Ishak" (in French). French Football Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  2. Ishak, Belfodil. "The new King of Algeria". goal.com (in spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. "Belfodil: "La France, une chance"". France Football (in French). 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  4. "OL, Ishak Belfodil un prodige à Lyon". Actu-Foot (in French). 14 November 2008. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  5. "L'OL arrache une perle algérienne des mains de Chelsea et MU". Foot Transfer Mercato (in French). Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  6. "Un espoir Algerien a signe". Mercato 365 (in French). 13 November 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  7. "Auxerre v. Lyon Match Report". Ligue de Football Professionnel (in French). 22 August 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  8. "Lisandro treble flattens Anderlecht". Union of European Football Associations (in French). 25 August 2009. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  9. "REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2011/12" (PDF). Olympique Lyonnais Group. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  10. "Welcome to Inter, Belfodil". FC Internazionale Milano. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  11. Parma FC SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2014 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  12. "Inter 3–1 Vicenza: Goals from Guarín, Belfodil and Pereira". F.C. Internazionale Milano. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  13. "Ishak Belfodil joins Livorno". F.C. Internazionale Milano. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  14. "Transfers, co-ownership deals". FC Internazionale Milano. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  15. "Parma FC S.p.A.: Risoluzione consensuale per Ishak Belfodil" (in Italian). Parma FC. 6 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  16. "Algerian international Ishak Belfodil joins Baniyas". Kingfut.com. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  17. "Ishak Belfodil au Standard" [Ishak Belfodil is Standard] (in French). Standard Liège. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  18. "Stürmer gefunden: Werder leiht Belfodil aus". kicker Online (in German). 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  19. Sonnenberg, Christoph (1 September 2017). "Ein attraktives Paket". Weser-Kurier (in German). Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  20. "Für 5,5 Millionen Euro: Hoffenheim verpflichtet Belfodil". kicker Online. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  21. "Borussia Dortmund vs. TSG Hoffenheim - Football Match Report - February 9, 2019". ESPN. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  22. "France U18 v. Denmark U18". French Football Federation. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  23. "Ukraine U18 v. France U18". French Football Federation. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  24. "Germany U18 v. France U18". French Football Federation. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  25. "Match nul face au Brésil (2–2)". French Football Federation. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  26. "Austria U19 v. France U19 Match Report". Union of European Football Associations. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  27. Walid Z. (25 August 2012). "La liste des 24 pour le match contre la Libye" (in French). DZFoot. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  28. "Belfodil, "Je serais là pour le match retour"" (in French). DZfoot. 4 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  29. "Ishak Belfodil officiellement qualifié avec l'Algérie" (in French). DZFoot. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  30. Ishak Belfodil at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  31. "Ishak Belfodil » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
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