Karim Bridji

Karim Bridji
Personal information
Full name Karim Bridji
Date of birth (1981-08-16) 16 August 1981
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Ajax Zaterdag
Youth career
DCG
1994–2000 Ajax
2000–2001 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Eendracht Aalst 15 (2)
2002–2005 FC Volendam 65 (9)
2005–2006 Helmond Sport 38 (12)
2006–2009 Heracles 42 (3)
2010–2012 RKC 12 (2)
2012–2014 Helmond Sport 22 (2)
2014– Ajax Zaterdag 18 (1)
National team‡
2001–2002 Netherlands U21 2 (0)
2002–2004 Algeria U23 7 (3)
2006 Algeria 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 September 2015 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:50, August 1, 2014 (UTC)

Karim Bridji (born 16 August 1981) is a Dutch-born Algerian footballer who currently plays for.AFC Ajax Amateurs in the Dutch Topklasse.

Club career

Bridji started his playing career in the at the Ajax Amsterdam Academy where he was captain of the team. He played one season with the senior squad before leaving to join Belgian giants RSC Anderlecht. After spending another season on the bench without any playing time, he joined another Jupiler League squad, KSC Aalst, where he featured 15 times and scored 2 goals. The following season, he returned to his native Netherlands to join FC Volendam who were playing in the second division, helping them win promotion to the Eredivisie, making 21 appearances and scoring 1 goal along the way. He played two more seasons with FC Volendam before joining another Dutch team, Helmond Sport.[1] He would have a breakout year with them, making 38 appearances and scoring 12 goals. His performance earned him a contract with Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo,[2] for which he played three seasons before he was released because of injuries in the summer of 2009. In September 2010, Bridji found a new club in RKC.[3] Again due to injuries he only played 12 matches in two seasons, after being released in the summer of 2012. In January 2013, Bridji signed a contract until the end of the season with his former team Helmond Sport, which currently plays in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. On 24 April 2014 it was announced that Bridji would join newly promoted Ajax Zaterdag, the amateur team of AFC Ajax, in the Topklasse. The third tier of professional football in the Netherlands.[4]

International career

Although born in the Netherlands, Bridji turned down many call-ups by the Dutch FA preferring to represent Algeria. He actually featured twice for the Dutch Under-21 team but only in friendlies thus preserving his eligibility to play for Algeria.

Bridji was capped by Algeria at the Under-23 level in 2002. He scored 3 goals in his first 3 games for Algeria's U23 team in a tournament against the senior sides of Oman, Palestine and Yemen.[5] He also played in 3 qualifiers for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

He made his debut for the Algerian national team in 2006 when he was called up by Jean-Michel Cavalli for a friendly against Burkina Faso. Bridji started the game and was subbed off in the 70th minute for Ali Boulebda.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Helmond Sport versterkt met aanvaller - Omroep Brabant (Dutch)
  2. ↑ Bridji verruilt Helmond voor Heracles - Omroep Brabant (Dutch)
  3. ↑ Karim Bridji vervolgt loopbaan bij RKC Waalwijk - Tubantia (Dutch)
  4. ↑ Karim Bridji vertrekt bij Helmond Sport
  5. ↑ Player Profile - Karim Bridji
  6. ↑ Algérie 1-2 Burkina Faso
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