Algiers – An injury to Algerian international Samir Sharqi has escalated into a point of contention between the Algerian national team and his club, Paris FC. The dispute arose after Sharqi returned from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a more complicated medical condition than when he initially joined the national squad.
The versatile defender featured in only one match during the continental tournament before returning to his French club, where he continues to struggle with an aggravated injury that has hindered his swift return to competitive play.
Stephane Gilli, the coach of Paris FC, has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the handling of Samir Sharqi’s situation. He directly criticized the Algerian national team’s technical and medical staff, suggesting that the player’s health was not treated with sufficient seriousness. Gilli stated that Sharqi should have returned to the club immediately after the initial injury, emphasizing that the best interests of both the player and the club were not adequately respected.
According to Gilli, Sharqi was already suffering from a muscular injury last November. Despite this, he joined the Algerian national team camp in Saudi Arabia and participated in training and matches, which, in Gilli’s view, contributed to the complication of his condition. He added that the player returned to Paris for treatment but was not fully fit when he was recalled for AFCON, where he played one match despite not being fully recovered.
Gilli further indicated that Sharqi resumed training even before Algeria’s final matches in the tournament, hoping to participate, which only exacerbated the injury and prolonged his expected absence. He concluded by stating that Samir Sharqi should not have participated in AFCON in the first place, given that he missed most of the matches and transitioned from a minor injury to a health condition that will sideline him for several more games. Sharqi is expected to be out for at least another month. The Sharqi situation has once again raised questions about the coordination between clubs and national teams regarding player health.
