Belloumi’s dribbling numbers outshine Premier League stars

Mohamed Bachir Belloumi has made an impressive start to life in the Premier League, leading the league’s most effective dribblers by both successful take-ons and success rate.

The 24-year-old Algeria winger has completed 19 of his 29 attempted dribbles since the start of the season, giving him a success rate of 65.5%.

No player in the selected group, which includes those to have attempted at least 15 dribbles this season in the Premier League, has matched Belloumi’s figures for either successful dribbles or percentage.

Savinho is next with 18 successful dribbles, followed by Mohammed Kudus on 17 and Julio Enciso on 16. Jeremy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye have completed 15 each, while Omar Marmoush, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers also sit below the Algeria international in the ranking.

The statistics underline qualities Belloumi had already shown in Portugal and the Championship. He has the ability to beat his direct opponent and create an immediate opening for his team.

That impact is particularly notable in a league where players have little time to make decisions. Space disappears quickly, challenges arrive at high intensity and mistakes in possession can be punished. Belloumi has retained his willingness to take on defenders while adding greater effectiveness to his play.

His contribution has extended well beyond eye-catching movement. After eight matches, he has scored three goals and provided two assists for Hull City.

His two-goal performance against Chelsea was the standout display, while he also scored against Everton. Belloumi has been directly involved in five goals across 600 minutes, making him both Hull City’s leading scorer and leading assist provider in the league.

That combination has made his start to the season especially significant. Belloumi is learning when to dribble, when to combine with team-mates and when to finish an attack. His take-ons are increasingly serving a purpose rather than simply adding style to his performances.

For Algeria, the development offers encouragement. The Fennecs have regularly produced technically gifted wide players, although not all of them have turned their ability into consistent goals and assists.

Belloumi has also carried his club form into international football. He scored twice in his first three appearances under Brahim Hemdani and has emerged as one of the leading positives of the new cycle.

He will not be expected to succeed Riyad Mahrez alone. Anis Hadj Moussa retains an advantage through his European experience and direct style, while Fares Ghedjemis is pushing for recognition after his performances in Italy.

The three wingers are competing from different stages, each demanding a high standard from the others at club level. That gives Hemdani a group of players capable of driving one another forward in a position that had caused concern for Algeria only a few months ago.

Comparisons with his illustrious father, Lakhdar Belloumi, remain premature. Mohamed Bachir Belloumi is following his own path, and greater consistency alongside his dribbling, goals and assists could take him further than many expected.