Algerian international Youcef Belaïli has once again found himself at the centre of controversy – this time mid-air.
The 33-year-old forward was arrested on Wednesday, July 2, upon landing at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport following an altercation with an Air France crew on a flight from New York. He was reportedly en route to Algeria via Paris after participating in the FIFA Club World Cup with Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis.
Le père de Youcef Belaïli déclare au journal El Heddaf après l’arrestation de son fils à l’aéroport CDG de Paris : « Youcef Belaïli a été maltraité à l’aéroport alors qu’il n’a commis aucun délit. Il a simplement voulu attacher la ceinture de sécurité de son fils de deux ans ».… pic.twitter.com/8H7XtZc5mG
— Moncef Ait-Kaci (@Moncefaitkaci) July 2, 2025
Footage circulating online shows French police escorting the visibly agitated player in handcuffs through the terminal. The incident, though still under investigation, has already stirred reactions across social media and Algerian media outlets.
According to his father, speaking to Algerian sports daily El Heddaf, Belaïli “committed no offence,” claiming the scuffle stemmed from a misunderstanding involving his two-year-old son’s seatbelt. “He was mistreated at the airport. It’s a disgrace to treat an international player like this over a seatbelt,” he said.
Belaïli, who has had stints in Ligue 1 with Angers, Brest, and Ajaccio, currently plays for Espérance de Tunis. He featured in the Club World Cup last month, where his club exited in the group stage following a final 3–0 loss to Chelsea in Philadelphia.
