Algerian international Jaouen Hadjam, a star for Young Boys of Bern, has once again sparked debate regarding the seriousness and professionalism of Youcef Belaili, due to recent statements made by the national team coach, Vladimir Petkovic, during his latest press conference.
Petkovic excluded Belaili from the list of 25 players called up for the June training camp, in preparation for the matches against Guinea and Uganda in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, despite Belaili’s impressive performances this season in the Algerian Ligue 1.
The Swiss coach justified his decision by stating: “Belaili is an interesting and very talented player, but I have chosen not to call him up because the other players in the group are better.” He also added: “Youcef has had discipline issues, but the door remains open for him.”
Hadjam’s statements have reignited the debate on the discipline and professionalism of MC Alger’s forward. Hadjam mentioned a revealing anecdote: “We met Belaili at the airport with his friends. We asked him to join us before boarding the plane, but he preferred to stay with them.”
He continued: “We boarded the plane, but he never showed up. A flight attendant informed us that the call for him went unanswered. Eventually, Nabil Bentaleb called him, and Belaili simply replied that he would take the next flight.”
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