Ishak Belfodil

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Ishak Belfodil

Belfodil with Algeria in 2013
Personal information
Full nameIshak Belfodil
Date of birth (1992-01-12) 12 January 1992
Place of birthMostaganem, Algeria
Height1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current clubLivorno
Youth career
1997–2003Élancourt
2003–2005Trappes Saint-Quentin
2005–2006Paris Saint-Germain
2006–2007Boulogne-Billancourt
2007–2008Clermont
2008–2010Lyon
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–2012Lyon10(0)
2012→ Bologna (loan)8(0)
2012–2013Parma33(8)
2013–Internazionale8(0)
2014–→ Livorno (loan)1(0)
National team‡
2008–2009France U173(0)
2009–2010France U186(2)
2010–2011France U1913(2)
2011France U202(1)
2013–Algeria2(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, November 2, 2013 (EST).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 08:16, 6 January 2014 (UTC)

Ishak Belfodil (born 12 January 1992)[1] is an Algerian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Livorno on loan from Internazionale.

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 Internazionale, a club located in the western suburbs of Paris, and spent his formative years at the club. He later joined nearby club Trappes FC. While at Trappes, Belfodil passed the entrance tests required to attend the Clairefontaine academy, but was not selected following failure of the final test.[2] 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.[2]

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.[3] His play sparked the interest of several clubs, most notably French club Lyon and English clubs Chelsea and Manchester United.[4] 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.[5]

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.[6] Belfodil made his UEFA Champions League debut, just 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.[7] 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 will take effect beginning 1 July 2011.

Parma

After having been in Bologna on loan in the spring of 2012, Belfodil signed with Serie A club Parma 30 June 2012 for a fee of 2.5 million Euros.

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 worth €7.5 million euros. Parma also gained the loan signing of Antonio Cassano. Belfodil was given the number 7 shirt for 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.[8]

On 31 January 2014, Belfodil joined fellow Serie A club Livorno on loan for the remainder of the 2013–14 season.[9]

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.[2] 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.[10] On 8 December, Belfodil scored his first international youth goal in a 1–1 draw against the Ukraine.[11] In 2010, Belfodil finished the campaign by scored against Germany at the Cloppenburg Arena in another 1–1 draw.[12] Belfodil remained a cog in the team under coach Bergeroo for under-19 team duty. On 12 September 2010, Belfodil scored his first goal with the team in a 2–2 draw with Brazil in the 2010 edition of the Sendai Cup.[13] 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.[14]

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.[15] However, FIFA had not yet processed his allegiance switch to Algeria and his club refused to release him for the game.[16] 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.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "BELFODIL Ishak" (in French). French Football Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2011. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Belfodil: "La France, une chance"". France Football (in French). 8 May 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  3. ↑ "OL, Ishak Belfodil un prodige à Lyon". Actu-Foot (in French). 14 November 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  4. ↑ "L'OL arrache une perle algérienne des mains de Chelsea et MU". Foot Transfer Mercato (in French). Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  5. ↑ "Un espoir Algerien a signe". Mercato 365 (in French). 13 November 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  6. ↑ "Auxerre v. Lyon Match Report". Ligue de Football Professionnel (in French). 22 August 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  7. ↑ "Lisandro treble flattens Anderlecht". Union of European Football Associations (in French). 25 August 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  8. ↑ "Inter 3–1 Vicenza: Goals from Guarín, Belfodil and Pereira". F.C. Internazionale Milano. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Ishak Belfodil joins Livorno". F.C. Internazionale Milano. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014. 
  10. ↑ "France U18 v. Denmark U18". French Football Federation. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  11. ↑ "Ukraine U18 v. France U18". French Football Federation. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  12. ↑ "Germany U18 v. France U18". French Football Federation. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  13. ↑ "Match nul face au Brésil (2–2)". French Football Federation. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  14. ↑ "Austria U19 v. France U19 Match Report". Union of European Football Associations. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  15. ↑ Walid Z. (August 25, 2012). "La liste des 24 pour le match contre la Libye" (in French). DZFoot. Retrieved August 25, 2012. 
  16. ↑ "Belfodil, "Je serais là pour le match retour"" (in French). DZfoot. September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2012. 
  17. ↑ "Ishak Belfodil officiellement qualifié avec l'Algérie" (in French). DZFoot. September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012. 

External links

A.S. Livorno Calcio – current squad
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