Billel Benhammouda ( ar, بلال بن حمودة; 28 August 1997 – 10 June 2022) was an Algerian professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Early life
Benhammouda was born in
Hadjout
Hadjout formerly Marengo during French colonization is a town and commune in Tipaza Province in northern Algeria, approximately 78km to the west of the capital Algiers.
History
In 1848, the village was named Marengo. In 1958, the commune beca ...
,
Tipasa Province
Tipaza or Tipasa ( ar, ولاية تيبازة, ''Tibaza'', older ''Tefessedt'') is a province (''wilaya'') on the coast of Algeria, Its capital is Tipaza, 50 km west of the capital of Algeria.
History
The province was created from Blida Pr ...
. His father Ali is a sports teacher and football coach and his two brothers are also a football players.
Club career
USM Alger
In July 2016, Benhammouda joined the reserve team of USM Alger. On 28 October 2017, he made his debut for the team in the
Ligue 1
Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. A ...
against
CR Belouizdad
Chabab Riadhi de Belouizdad S.s.p.a (Classical Arabic: الشّباب الرّياضيّ لبلوزداد, English Translation: Sporting Club of Belouizdad), known as ''Chabab Belouizdad'' or ''CR Belouizdad'' or simply ''CRB'' for short, is a ...
as a substitute in 4–0 victory. On 7 July 2018 Benhammouda was promoted to USM Alger's first team, and in this season he participated in 14 matches. On 12 November 2018, he made his first game as a starter against MC Oran. At the end of the 2018–19 season he achieved his first title in his history. At the start of the 2019–20 season, he was expected to be one of the main elements, especially after the departure of several stars and match by match he has become one of the main players. On 5 January, in the
2019–20 Algerian Cup
The 2019–20 Algerian Cup ( ar, كأس الجزائر 20-2019) was the 55th edition of the Algerian Cup. The tournament was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teams
National rounds Round of 64
The Round of 64 draw took ...
Benhammouda scored his first goal against USM Khenchela and made two assists for
Aymen Mahious
Aymen Mahious ( ar, أيمن محيوص; born September 15, 1997) is an Algerian Association football, footballer who plays as a Striker (association football), striker for USM Alger in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and the Algeria national ...
and
Oualid Ardji
Oualid Ardji ( ar, وليد عرجي; born September 7, 1995) is an Algeria footballer who plays for CS Constantine in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1. He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder.
Honours Club
; USM Alger
* Algerian Lig ...
in 6–1 victory. On 14 March 2020, he scored twice, his first in Ligue 1 against MC Oran, to lead them to their first victory in two months 4–1. On 6 November 2020, Benhammouda renewed his contract until 2023. In the 2021–22 season, Benhammouda started knocking on the doors of the national team and developing his performance, and on 20 November, he scored a double against US Biskra, a few days later Benhammouda scored another double this time against RC Relizane.
International career
Benhammouda participated with the Algeria national team in many categories and was the former captain of the Algeria under-23 national team. On 26 March 2019, he scored his first goals at the
2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification
The 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification was a men's under-23 football competition, which decided the participating teams of the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.
Players born 1 January 1997 or later were eligible to participate in the co ...
against
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
in 3–1 victory. Algeria failed to qualify for the finals after the elimination against Ghana.
In June 2021, Benhammouda was called up by
Madjid Bougherra
Madjid Bougherra ( ar, مجيد بوقرة, lit=, links=, translit=; born 7 October 1982) is an Algerian football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. He is the manager of the Algeria A' national team.
Bougherra began his p ...
Liberia
Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
to inaugurate the new stadium in Oran in 5–1 victory. On 22 August 2021, Bougherra called up 26 players including Benhammouda to training camp in Qatar in preparation for the
2021 FIFA Arab Cup
The 2021 FIFA Arab Cup () was the 10th edition of the Arab Cup, the Arab world's national team football tournament; it was the first edition under FIFA's jurisdiction. It took place between 30 November and 18 December in Qatar, as a p ...
. In the second match against
Burundi
Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
Madjid Bougherra
Madjid Bougherra ( ar, مجيد بوقرة, lit=, links=, translit=; born 7 October 1982) is an Algerian football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. He is the manager of the Algeria A' national team.
Bougherra began his p ...
decided to lay off the players for one day. Benhammouda called his friend to take him home. On the road between
Douaouda
Douaouda is a town and commune in Tipaza Province in northern Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, ...
and
Bou Ismaïl Bou Ismaïl ( arq, بو إسماعيل) is a city in Bou Ismaïl District, Tipasa Province, Algeria. In 2008 it had a population of 40,984.DNA examination his death was announced Benhammouda died at the age of 24. While USM Alger moved to Setif to play the last round match the team returned after hearing this collision news, Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) granted the request to postpone the match to a later date.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Scores and results list Algeria A' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Benhammouda goal.''
Honours
USM Alger
*
Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1
The Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 ( ar, الرابطة الجزائرية المحترفة الأولى لكرة القدم); known as Championnat National de Première Division or Ligue 1 for short, and formerly known as the Championnat Natio ...