‘He deserves to play for a bigger club’ – Mohamed Belloumi’s dad sets sights on Barcelona after Hull City heroics

Lakhdar Belloumi believes his son Mohamed has earned the right to target Europe’s elite after his impressive start to life with Hull City.

Mohamed Belloumi’s father, Lakhdar Belloumi, believes the Hull City winger has the quality to eventually represent one of Europe’s biggest clubs and compete for major domestic and continental honours.

The former Algeria national team manager was speaking after his son earned a recall to the national team for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zambia and Burundi.

Despite the growing attention around the 24-year-old, Belloumi senior stressed that his son remains fully focused on Hull City and is not actively seeking a move away from the club.

He did, however, make clear that he believes his son’s long-term ambitions should extend to the highest level of European football.

“All his focus right now is on Hull City. If we receive any major offer, we wouldn’t object to him leaving,” Lakhdar Belloumi told Win Win.

“With all due respect to Hull City, but at this level, he deserves to play for a bigger club competing for domestic and continental titles, such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille and Manchester City.”

Chelsea brace puts Belloumi in spotlight

Belloumi has quickly emerged as one of Hull City’s standout performers following his move into the Premier League, with his performances attracting attention beyond the Tigers.

The Algerian winger scored both goals in Hull City’s draw against Chelsea, underlining his attacking threat against one of England’s leading clubs.

He followed that performance with another impressive showing against Newcastle, where he came close to adding to his growing tally despite Hull City being unable to secure victory.

His form has now earned him a return to the Algeria squad, giving him another opportunity to establish himself at international level.

The recall is particularly significant for the Belloumi family, with Mohamed continuing the footballing legacy of his father, who was one of Algeria’s prominent players before moving into coaching.

‘This is just the beginning’

Lakhdar Belloumi said his son’s journey has been driven by a long-standing ambition to become a professional footballer and play in Europe.

According to the former Algeria coach, Mohamed remained determined despite criticism he received during his time in Algerian football.

“Mohamed dreamed of turning pro, and his goal was to play in Europe. So, I told him, ‘Do whatever you want’. We took the criticism he faced during his time in Algeria in stride, as if it were meaningless.”

Belloumi senior believes his son’s progress in England has provided the strongest possible response to those who previously questioned whether his surname played a role in his career.

“My son has always strived to achieve his dream, and I think what he’s accomplished now is the best response to all those who criticised him, claiming he was playing solely because of his name.”

He added: “Mohamed’s performance with Hull City earned him a spot on the Algerian national team in style. God willing, he’ll do Algeria proud in upcoming competitions and keep the Beloumi name alive in Arab and world football.”

With international football now providing another platform to showcase his ability, Belloumi will hope to build on his strong start to the Premier League season while helping Algeria in their upcoming qualifiers.