Algerian international Youssef Belaïli has received a painful blow, as it has been confirmed that he will be sidelined for a long time due to a serious injury sustained during the Tunisian "derby" match between Esperance Sportive and Club Africain in the 14th round of the local league. This injury has cut his season short and officially ruled him out of the Arab Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.

The management of Tunisian club Esperance announced in an official statement that medical examinations revealed the player suffered a tear in the cruciate ligament and the meniscus after a strong collision with one of the defenders of Club Africain in the 20th minute of the match, which forced him to leave the field urgently. The statement added that Blaili will undergo surgery in the coming days, with a recovery period of no less than six months, ending his season prematurely and causing Esperance to lose one of its key players in both the domestic league and the CAF Champions League.

The absence of Belaili represents a double loss for both the national teams of Algeria, the senior team and the local one. He was expected to participate in the Arab Cup in Qatar after being recently excluded from the list of the senior national team announced by Vladimir Petkovic in preparation for the friendly matches against Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia. However, a sudden injury dashed his hopes of a quick return to the "Greens" and also threatens his participation in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The former Esperance star received widespread support from the Algerian fans, who expressed their deep sadness over his absence from the fields. Meanwhile, the Algerian Football Federation issued a statement confirming its full support for him, which stated: "The Algerian Football Federation, led by Mr. Walid Sadi, along with national coach Vladimir Petkovic and all the national team staff, wishes our international player Youssef Belaili a speedy recovery."

In this way, Belaïli has closed a painful chapter in his sports career, waiting to come back stronger after recovery, to regain his place among the top stars of Algerian and Arab football.