Algerian national football team coach, Djamel Belmadi, may consider seeking FIFA’s intervention to claim his entitlements from the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), as the contractual rift takes center stage.
Renowned commentator on beIN Sports, Hafid Derradji, opines that the contract between Belmadi and FAF wasn’t as ethically bound as portrayed to the public but rather a purely financial agreement. Derradji, basing his assessment on obtained information, discloses on his official Facebook page that Belmadi is currently demanding all his dues until 2026, valued at over 7 million euros, in exchange for his departure.
In response, FAF President, Walid Sadmi, proposed compensations amounting to 624,000 euros for a period not exceeding three months.
Derradji highlights that since 2018, Belmadi has received over 12 million euros in salaries and bonuses, without his contract specifying performance targets, deviating from the usual practice in coaches’ agreements worldwide.
Furthermore, Derradji asserts that it was the FAF that did not dismiss Belmadi; instead, he announced his resignation to the players in the dressing room after the match against Mauritania. The news was leaked to French media before Sadmi reached an amicable agreement with Belmadi to terminate the contract upon returning to Algeria. However, Belmadi insisted on receiving his full entitlements.
his post, Hafid Derradji raises the question of whether Belmadi will turn to FIFA to arbitrate in securing all his due payments, emphasizing that Belmadi’s recurrent failures make it untenable for him to continue leading the national team, while FAF has not officially relieved him of his duties until settling his financial claims.
