The former goalkeeper of the Algerian national football team, Samir Hadjaoui, passed away Sunday evening in Paris, at the age of 42, after a long illness, according to Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The ministry indicated that: “Samir Hadjaoui requested his transfer to Algeria, and the transfer was scheduled the following day, Monday. Unfortunately, he passed away a few hours before his flight.
The former goalkeeper of ES Setif was transferred by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to a hospital in France last December, after he asked public authorities to treat his cancerous tumor in his left rib, but his health condition seemed to have deteriorated in the last days.
The goalkeeper, who won the Arab Clubs Champions Cup in 2008 with ES Setif, was supposed to return to the country on Monday, via a private hospital plane, after the Ministry of Youth and Sports responded to his second call and his desire to return home, before he died on Sunday evening.
Samir Hadjaoui, born on February 16, 1979 in Tlemcen, has performed a remarkable football career, as he participated three times in international competitions with senior national team in 2007.
In terms of titles, goalkeeper Hadjaoui won the two Algerian championship titles in 2007 and 2009 with ES Setif.
He also won two editions of Algeria Cup in 1998 and 2002 with Tlemcen football team, in addition to 2007 Algerian Cup with Olymic Chlef.
Hadjaoui won the Arab Clubs Champions Cup in 1998 with the team of Widad Tlemcen, to won again under its new form “Arab Champions League” twice with ES Setif, in 2007 and 2008.
