Professional football player
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Nadir Belhadj is a French-born Algerian professional football player who currently plays as a left wingback or as a left winger for English Premier League club Portsmouth and the Algerian national team.
A left back who can also operate as a winger, Belhadj began his career at Ligue 1 club Lens, where he failed to make the first-team. He joined Ligue 2 FC Gueugnon on loan in 2002 and after making 26 league appearances signed permanently in 2003. Belhadj played 36 more Ligue 2 games for Gueugnon before moving to CS Sedan in 2004. Making more than thirty appearances in each of his two full seasons with Sedan in Ligue 2, gaining promotion in the second.
In January 2007 Belhadj was bought by French champions Lyon for €3.24 million and signed a lucrative four and a half year deal. He was loaned back to CS Sedan until the end of the season and joined Lyon again in the summer of 2007. He made just 9 appearances for the club, being blocked at the left-back position by World Cup champion Fabio Grosso, and left the club in January. On 7 January 2008, it was confirmed that Belhadj had signed a three and a half year deal with his former club Lens for a fee of €3.6 million.
On 1 September 2008, it had been announced that Portsmouth had signed Belhadj on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent.[1] He made his Portsmouth debut on 13 September coming on as a substitute against Middlesbrough at Fratton Park where Portsmouth went from a goal down to come back and win 2–1, with Belhadj playing a key role on the left with Armand Traoré. He also started in Portsmouth's first ever European match, a 2–0 win over Vitória SC, and was excellent overall, and set Jermain Defoe up with a fantastic cross. He also scored a long range goal against Sunderland FC away from home in a 2–1 win, which was the first win for new manager Tony Adams.
Belhadj played a part in Portsmouth's 2–2 draw against AC Milan in the UEFA Cup. His skillful play earned Belhadj the man of the match award for that game[citation needed]. On December 30, Belhadj signed a 4 and a half year deal with Pompey, costing €4.5 million paid to Lens [2], keeping him at the club until 2013. He officially became a Portsmouth player on January 1, 2009 when the Winter transfer window opened up. On January 27, 2009, Belhadj was sent off for the first time for Portsmouth when he picked up 2 yellow cards in the 1–0 defeat against Aston Villa.
Although he has not always kept a first team place, his recall to face Liverpool on 20 December 2009 was an inspired move by Avram Grant as Belhadj was able to keep former Pompey favourite Glen Johnson under control. Belhadj scored the first goal in the game. Belhadj has stated that he would like to move away from Portsmouth in the January 2010 transfer window although a regular first team place might persuade him otherwise. Avram Grant has been playing Belhadj with greater regularity and a highlight of his season so far has been a typically inventive and bold goal against local rivals Southampton in the F A Cup on 13 February 2010. Belhadj's tenacity and ambition continue to make him a crowd favourite at Fratton Park. On 17th February 2010, Portsmouth appealed to be allowed to sell players outside the transfer window, with Belhadj reported to be one of those up for sale. At the time, there were rumours of a move to FC Barcelona, after being singled out for praise from Xavi Hernandez.
[edit] International career
Belhadj began his international career in 2000 by representing France at the Under-18 level, making just two appearances for the team.
On March 30, 2004, Belhadj made his unofficial debut for the Algerian National Team in a 0–0 friendly against Belgian club R.A.A. Louviéroise. On April 28, 2004 he made his official debut for the team in a friendly against China. On June 5, 2007, Belhadj got his first international goal in a friendly 4–3 loss to Argentina. He scored two goals in that game beating goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri twice from free kicks. Since his first call up, Belhadj has been a regular starter in the left back role for the team and occasionally fills in as a left winger as well. During the 2010 African Cup of Nations he was sent off in the semi-final against Egypt with a straight card, and received a 2 match competitive international ban, ruling him out of the opener against Tanzania in the 2012 African Cup of nations qualifying.
Source : Wikipedia
