TalentsAlgeriens: Issam Naim’s next challenge is to lead ES Setif with the same authority

Issam Abdelhamid Naim has already shown he can command a defence and wear the captain’s armband for Algeria U21. The next step for the 20-year-old centre-back is to reproduce that confidence consistently for ES Setif, where his first senior campaign exposed the difficulties that come with mistakes at the highest level.

Born in Tissemsilt on 21 December 2005, Naim captained Algeria U21 to victory at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto this summer. He was a commanding presence at the heart of the defence, forming a particularly effective partnership with Mahdid Daniel Ilyes.

That leadership contrasted with a more uneven spell at club level. Naim’s first significant exposure to senior football at ES Setif included errors, strong reactions from those around him and periods in which his confidence appeared to suffer.

He is ranked 12th in the #TalentsAlgeriens series, which identifies 25 young players to watch in the Algerian Ligue 1 during the 2026/27 season. The selection considers not only natural ability, but also potential, expected involvement at club level and the role the campaign could play in each player’s development.

More than a traditional centre-back

Sofiane Benkhelifa, who worked within the ES Setif environment last season, knows Naim well. The coach and developer, who has also worked with USMA and Olympique Akbou, highlights the defender’s strength in one-on-one duels.

Naim also possesses several qualities associated with the modern centre-back. Imad Bella, a former footballer and ES Setif player who is now an agent, shares that assessment.

Abdelkader Bouchaala, a youth coach who has worked with CR Belouizdad, USMA and ES Setif, first encountered Naim when he was playing for the CR Belouizdad U17 side. He has particularly noted the defender’s willingness to play forward and contribute to the team’s progression from the back.

Naim’s ability to carry the ball, play vertically and distribute possession gives him a broader profile than that of a purely defensive stopper. He has also shown that he can operate in front of the defence when required.

Benkhelifa believes there is still room for improvement physically, but regards that as a secondary issue compared with the mental demands Naim has faced since moving into senior football.

Learning to respond at ES Setif

The principal adjustment has been dealing with the immediate consequences of an error. Benkhelifa says Naim sometimes appeared apprehensive when he joined the senior group, despite having displayed considerably greater authority with Algeria’s youth teams.

Bouchaala believes the surroundings at ES Setif did not always make that transition easier. Criticism from outside, he argues, can have a significant effect on a young defender. Bella has reached a similar conclusion.

Naim’s task is not to become unaffected by mistakes. Instead, he must learn to prevent one poor decision or difficult spell from changing the way he plays.

His performances with Algeria U21 provide evidence that he can take responsibility. Naim did more than make the squad for the Mediterranean Games: he organised the defence of a team that finished the tournament as champions.

Bella also points to the benefit of completing much of pre-season with the senior team and training alongside more experienced players.

Naim has already demonstrated the technical and physical qualities required at this level, including his defending, distribution, ball-carrying and forward passing. His next challenge is consistency: remaining the same assured defender in Setif as he was in Taranto.