1. Early Life and Youth Career
Baghdad Bounedjah began his football journey in his native city of Oran, Algeria, developing his skills through the youth categories of RCG Oran before making his senior debut. He later transitioned to USM El Harrach, where he solidified his position as a promising young striker.
1.1. RCG Oran
Bounedjah started his career at his hometown club, RCG Oran, progressing through all youth ranks. He joined the senior team in 2009, playing for two seasons until 2011. During his time in the Algerian Regional II league, he demonstrated remarkable scoring prowess, netting 69 goals in 46 appearances.
1.2. USM El Harrach
In the summer of 2011, Bounedjah signed a two-year contract with USM El Harrach, transitioning from RCG Oran, which was considered an amateur club at the time. He made his professional debut for the club on 10 September 2011, starting in the first-round game of the 2011-12 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 against MC Oran, where he scored his first professional goal in the 78th minute. During his tenure until 2013, he made 48 appearances, scoring 16 goals. His contributions were instrumental in USM El Harrach's promotion to the top flight and their subsequent runner-up finish in the 2012-13 season.
2. Club Career
Baghdad Bounedjah's club career has seen him achieve significant success across various leagues, from his impactful time in Sousse with Étoile du Sahel to his highly prolific and trophy-laden spell in Qatar with Al Sadd. His consistency in scoring goals has been a defining feature, leading to numerous individual and team honors.
2.1. Étoile du Sahel
In June 2013, Bounedjah officially joined the Sousse-based club, Étoile Sportive du Sahel, signing a three-year contract that was formalized a month later after disputes with his former employer. He quickly adapted to the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, making his debut and scoring his first goal for the team on 26 September 2013 against US Monastir. Bounedjah rapidly became an essential player, finishing as the top scorer in the 2013-14 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 in his first year, with 14 goals in 23 games. This impressive performance led to an extension of his contract for an additional year, tying him to the club until June 2017.
On 11 August 2013, Bounedjah secured his first title with Étoile du Sahel, scoring the winning goal in the 2013-14 Tunisian Cup final against CS Sfaxien. In his second season, he continued to shine, notably scoring his first hat-trick in the Tunisian Ligue Pro 1 on 25 September 2014 against EGS Gafsa in a 3-0 victory. He finished the league season with 11 goals, contributing to Étoile du Sahel's second-place finish, just two points behind Club Africain. He again won the Tunisian Cup for the second consecutive time, scoring a hat-trick in the final against Stade Gabèsien. Bounedjah's impact extended to continental competitions, as he played a key role in Étoile du Sahel's victory in the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup, where he also finished as the top scorer. His overall record for Étoile du Sahel was 26 goals in 49 appearances until 2015.
2.2. Al Sadd
Baghdad Bounedjah embarked on the most successful phase of his club career at Al Sadd SC in the Qatar Stars League, becoming one of the club's most iconic and prolific strikers. His tenure has been marked by numerous league titles, domestic cup successes, and record-breaking individual achievements, establishing him as a key player for Al Sadd and a prominent figure in Qatari football. He contributed to the 2018-19 Qatar Stars League title, two Qatar Cups, the 2017 Emir of Qatar Cup, and two Qatar Super Cup titles, along with reaching the semifinals of the 2018 AFC Champions League.
2.2.1. 2015-16 season
On 29 April 2015, Bounedjah transferred to Qatar's Al Sadd, but initially remained at Étoile du Sahel for a six-month loan period due to Al Sadd having already reached its quota of foreign players. During this loan, Bounedjah sustained a serious ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly three months. He eventually made his debut for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League on 7 March 2016 against Al-Gharafa. He scored his first goal for the club against Al-Kharaitiyat. Despite a difficult season marked by injury, he managed to participate in 10 games across all competitions, scoring 7 goals.
2.2.2. 2016-17 season
The 2016-17 season marked a breakthrough for Bounedjah at Al Sadd. On 7 December 2016, he scored his first Qatar Stars League hat-trick in a dominant 5-0 victory over Al-Rayyan. He followed this with another hat-trick on 16 February 2017 against Al-Arabi, where he impressively scored five goals in a single match for the first time in his career. At the season's end, Al Sadd finished second in the league, two points behind Lekhwiya, but Bounedjah secured the title of joint top goalscorer in the Qatar Stars League with 24 goals, alongside Lekhwiya's Youssef El-Arabi.
Bounedjah further celebrated his first two titles with Al Sadd by winning the Qatar Crown Prince Cup (now Qatar Cup) after scoring a goal in the final against El Jaish. Shortly thereafter, he clinched the Emir of Qatar Cup against Al-Rayyan, having previously scored a super-hat trick against Al-Kharaitiyat in the quarter-finals of the same competition. He concluded the season with a remarkable 30 goals. On 23 May 2017, following his exceptional performance, he extended his contract with Al Sadd for three seasons, until 2021.
2.2.3. 2017-18 season
Bounedjah's third season with Al Sadd, the 2017-18 campaign, began auspiciously. On 9 September 2017, in the first game of the season, he scored a hat-trick and secured his first title of the campaign, the Qatar Super Cup, with a 4-1 victory over league champion Al-Duhail. He maintained strong league form, scoring in six consecutive games, but an unfortunate shin fracture against Al-Duhail sidelined him for over two months, impacting his pursuit of the top scorer title. Upon his return, Bounedjah quickly regained form, netting ten goals in just five Qatar Stars League matches, including a super-hat trick against Al-Ahli, with his fourth goal marking his 50th in all competitions for Al Sadd. In the 2018 AFC Champions League, Bounedjah was a standout performer, scoring nine goals in eight games, including four braces against Al-Wasl F.C. (home and away), Persepolis F.C., and Al-Ahli Saudi FC in the Round of 16. He finished the season strongly with 28 goals in all competitions.
2.2.4. 2018-19 season
The 2018-19 season was a historic one for Baghdad Bounedjah. On 5 August 2018, he scored a hat-trick in the first league game against Al-Kharaitiyat. A week later, he shattered the Qatar Stars League single-game goal record by scoring seven goals in a commanding 10-1 win against Al Arabi. He continued his individual success by winning the top scorer award in the 2018 AFC Champions League with 13 goals, becoming both the first Algerian and the first player from a Qatari club to achieve this feat. He matched the all-time single-tournament record held by Muriqui from the 2013 campaign, despite Al Sadd's elimination in the semifinals against Persepolis.
By December 2018, Bounedjah had reached 50 goals for the year, attracting transfer rumors from European clubs like Olympique Marseille. He expressed willingness to consider offers from "good clubs." On 2 December 2018, he scored his fourth hat-trick of the season against Al-Gharafa in an 8-1 victory. Just five days later, on 7 December, Bounedjah set a new Qatar Stars League top goalscorer record with 28 goals after only 14 matches, surpassing the previous record of 27 goals held by Brazilian striker Clemerson de Araújo from the 2007-08 Qatar Stars League season.
By the end of 2018, Bounedjah distinguished himself as the world's top goalscorer, having reached 58 goals (29 in the current QSL season, 10 from the previous QSL season, 13 in the 2018 AFC Champions League, and 7 with the Algerian national team), surpassing the tallies of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He also became the first Algerian to score a total of 50 goals in a single year, far exceeding previous Algerian records, such as Nacer Bouiche's 40 goals in 1986 with JS Kabylie. On 28 December 2018, despite receiving offers from several European clubs, Bounedjah chose to renew his contract with Al Sadd until 2024. In January 2019, he was honored as the Algerian Footballer of the Year for 2018, an award presented by Brazilian star Roberto Carlos, making him the first footballer based outside Europe and Algeria to receive this accolade. On 23 February 2019, Bounedjah scored in the Qatari Classico against Al-Rayyan, reaching his 100th goal for Al Sadd across all competitions, a unique achievement for an Algerian player based outside Europe with a single club. Finally, on 4 April 2019, he scored his sixth hat-trick of the season (and 39th goal in total - a new league record) against Al-Ahli, leading Al Sadd to their first Qatar Stars League title in six seasons, which was also Bounedjah's first league title.
2.2.5. 2019-20 season
Following the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Bounedjah curtailed his holiday to prepare for the new club season, which had an early start. On 13 August 2019, Bounedjah and Al Sadd qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League after defeating rivals Al-Duhail, with Bounedjah providing an assist to Akram Afif in the second leg. In his first Qatar Stars League match of the season (having missed two due to a penalty), he scored four goals in a decisive 7-1 win against Al-Shahania. On 11 December, he scored the opening goal at the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup and was named Man of the Match for his performance in Al Sadd's 3-1 first-round victory over Hienghène Sport in extra time. He ultimately finished the tournament as the joint top goalscorer with three goals, as Al Sadd concluded in sixth place.
2.2.6. 2020-21 season
The 2020-21 season commenced later than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar. Bounedjah continued his prolific form by leading Al Sadd to victory in the 2020 Emir of Qatar Cup, scoring both winning goals in the final against Al-Arabi, securing his second title in this competition. On 23 December 2020, he scored his 100th goal in the Qatar Stars League by netting the winning goal against Al-Rayyan. On 7 January 2021, Bounedjah registered his first hat-trick of the season against Al-Sailiya in an 8-0 rout, also contributing two assists. Five days later, he scored another hat-trick against defending champions Al-Duhail in a crucial 3-1 win.
On 26 February 2021, in the final of the 2021 Qatar Cup, Bounedjah scored twice as Al Sadd defeated Al-Duhail. In the 2020-21 Qatar Stars League, he scored a goal against Umm Salal in a 3-0 victory, which sealed the club's 15th league title. He concluded the season as the league's top scorer with 21 goals, marking his third time winning the QSL golden boot.
2.3. Al-Shamal SC
Baghdad Bounedjah currently plays as a striker for Al-Shamal SC in the Qatar Stars League. He joined the club in 2024 and has continued to be a significant offensive force, recording 13 goals in 13 appearances as of January 25, 2025.
3. International Career
Baghdad Bounedjah has been a vital player for the Algerian national football teams, making significant contributions across youth and senior levels, including participation in major international tournaments and scoring decisive goals.
3.1. Youth National Team
In September 2011, Bounedjah received a call-up to the Algeria under-23 national team by coach Azzedine Aït Djoudi. He participated in several friendly matches against teams like USM Blida and NA Hussein Dey. On 16 November 2011, he was selected as part of Algeria's squad for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship held in Morocco. During his time with the U-23 team, from 2011 to 2016, he made 11 appearances and scored 7 goals. He played a key role in the team's 2011 UNAF U-23 Football Tournament runner-up finish and notably scored the opening and decisive goal in their 1-0 victory against Senegal during the group stage of the 2011 Africa U-23 Nations Cup. Bounedjah also represented Algeria at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
3.2. Senior National Team
Bounedjah received a surprise call-up to the Algeria senior national team on 4 October 2011 from coach Vahid Halilhodžić for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Central African Republic, replacing the injured Rafik Djebbour, marking his debut for the senior side. He scored his first international goal for Algeria on 7 January 2017 in a friendly match against Mauritania.
3.2.1. Major Tournament Appearances and Goals
Bounedjah has represented Algeria in four editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. His most significant contribution came in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. In the opening group stage match against Kenya, he scored Algeria's first goal of the tournament. His most memorable moment arrived in the final against Senegal in Egypt, where he scored the only goal of the match in the 2nd minute, a shot that took a decisive deflection off Senegalese defender Salif Sané, securing a 1-0 victory for Algeria and clinching the nation's second Afcon title.
In December 2023, he was named in Algeria's squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He continued to demonstrate his goal-scoring prowess by scoring the opening goal against Angola on 15 January 2024 during the tournament. He also played a vital role in Algeria's triumph at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.
4. Career Statistics
4.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup (Includes Algerian, Tunisian, and Qatar Emir Cups) | Continental (CAF Confederation Cup, AFC Champions League) | Other competitions | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| USM El Harrach | 2011-12 | ALP1 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 25 | 7 | ||
| 2012-13 | 28 | 10 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 29 | 11 | ||||
| Total | 48 | 16 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 54 | 18 | ||||
| Étoile du Sahel | 2013-14 | TLP1 | 24 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | 28 | 17 | |
| 2014-15 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 7 | - | 39 | 24 | |||
| 2015-16 | 2 | 1 | - | 7 | 4 | - | 9 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 49 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 13 | - | 76 | 46 | |||
| Al Sadd | 2015-16 | QSL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | - | 1 | 0 | 10 | 7 | |
| 2016-17 | 20 | 24 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 30 | ||
| 2017-18 | 11 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 28 | ||
| 2018-19 | 22 | 39 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 6 | - | 35 | 48 | |||
| 2019-20 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 38 | 26 | ||
| 2020-21 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 30 | ||
| 2021-22 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 14 | ||
| 2022-23 | 22 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 20 | ||
| 2023-24 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 33 | 16 | ||
| Total | 157 | 150 | 24 | 24 | 44 | 26 | 24 | 20 | 242 | 219 | ||
| Al-Shamal | 2024-25 | QSL | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 | |
| Career total | 280 | 203 | 36 | 33 | 59 | 38 | 24 | 20 | 384 | 292 | ||
4.2. International Goals
Scores and results list Algeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bounedjah goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 January 2017 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Mauritania | 2-1 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 22 March 2018 | Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria | Tanzania | 1-0 | 4-1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 4-1 | |||||
| 4 | 1 June 2018 | Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria | Cape Verde | 2-1 | 2-3 | Friendly |
| 5 | 8 September 2018 | Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia | Gambia | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 12 October 2018 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Benin | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7 | 18 November 2018 | Stade Municipal, Lomé, Togo | Togo | 4-1 | 4-1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 8 | 27 December 2018 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Qatar | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 26 March 2019 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Tunisia | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 10 | 11 June 2019 | Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Burundi | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 16 June 2019 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Mali | 1-1 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 12 | 23 June 2019 | 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | Kenya | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 13 | 19 July 2019 | Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | Senegal | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final |
| 14 | 15 October 2019 | Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France | Colombia | 1-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
| 15 | 14 November 2019 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Zambia | 2-0 | 5-0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 16 | 5-0 | |||||
| 17 | 12 November 2020 | Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria | Zimbabwe | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18 | 29 March 2021 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Botswana | 4-0 | 5-0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 19 | 3 June 2021 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Mauritania | 4-1 | 4-1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 11 June 2021 | Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia | Tunisia | 1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 21 | 2 September 2021 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria | Djibouti | 4-0 | 8-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 22 | 12 October 2021 | Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey, Niger | Niger | 4-0 | 4-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 23 | 1 December 2021 | Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar | Sudan | 1-0 | 4-0 | 2021 FIFA Arab Cup |
| 24 | 2-0 | |||||
| 25 | 27 March 2023 | Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia | Niger | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 26 | 16 November 2023 | Nelson Mandela Stadium, Algiers, Algeria | Somalia | 2-0 | 3-1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 27 | 9 January 2024 | Stade de Kégué, Lomé, Togo | Burundi | 1-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 28 | 15 January 2024 | Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast | Angola | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 29 | 20 January 2024 | Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast | Burkina Faso | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 30 | 2-2 | |||||
| 31 | 10 September 2024 | Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, Liberia | Liberia | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 32 | 17 November 2024 | Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria | Liberia | 3-1 | 5-1 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Scores and results list Algeria U23's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bounedjah goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 August 2016 | Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Honduras U23 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 2016 Summer Olympics |
5. Honours
5.1. Club
Étoile du Sahel
- Tunisian Cup: 2013-14, 2014-15
- CAF Confederation Cup: 2015
Al Sadd
- Qatar Stars League: 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24
- Qatar Cup: 2017, 2020, 2021
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2017, 2020, 2021, 2024
- Sheikh Jassim Cup: 2017
- Qatari Stars Cup: 2019-20
5.2. International
Algeria
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2019
- FIFA Arab Cup: 2021
5.3. Individual
- Algerian Footballer of the Year: 2018
- Tunisian Ligue Pro 1 Top Goalscorer: 2013-14
- CAF Confederation Cup Top Goalscorer: 2015
- Qatar Stars League Player of the Month: August 2018, November/December 2018, January 2021, September 2021
- Qatar Stars League Top Goalscorer: 2018-19, 2020-21
- Qatar Stars League Team of the Year: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
- Emir of Qatar Cup Top Goalscorer: 2017
- AFC Champions League Top Goalscorer: 2018
- AFC Champions League Fans' Best XI: 2018
- AFC Champions League OPTA Best XI: 2018
- IFFHS World's Best Top Goal Scorer: 2018
- IFFHS World's Best International Goal Scorer: 2018
- IFFHS World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup Top Goalscorer: 2019
- CAF Team of the Year: 2015
- Goal Africa Team of the Year: 2018
- IFFHS CAF Men Team of The Year: 2021