Confirmed cruciate ligament rupture for Youcef Belaïli ! | OneFootball

Youcef Belaïli to miss AFCON and 2025 Arab Cup !

Youcef Belaili / @x.com/afrikfoot/

After being forced off due to injury on Sunday during the Tunis derby between Espérance de Tunis and Club Africain, Algerian national team winger Youcef Belaili underwent mandatory medical tests on Monday. It has now been confirmed that the Greens’ star will miss both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2025 Arab Cup.

The playmaker for the "Desert Warriors" was substituted after just 21 minutes of play due to a right knee injury.

Scans, including an MRI, have revealed a torn cruciate ligament, ruling him out for up to six months.

Youcef Belaïli ruled out of AFCON and Arab Cup

This injury rules Belaïli out of Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic’s plans for AFCON 2025 in Morocco, as well as from local team boss Majid Bouguerra’s squad for the Arab Cup in Qatar, scheduled from December 1 to 18, 2025.

As for the 2026 World Cup, set to take place from June 11 to July 21, his chances of featuring remain very slim due to the severity of his injury, which will require an extended period of recovery and rehabilitation.

Algeria – Here’s why Youcef Belaïli was left out