Essaïd Belkalem

In 2008, Belkalem was promoted to the JS Kabylie senior team from the club's junior ranks. In the 2009–2010 season, Belkalem made 20 appearances, scoring one goal. On 18 July 2010, Belkalem scored JS Kabylie's only goal in the win over Egyptian club Ismaily in the group stage of the 2010 CAF Champions League with a header in the 75th minute. In February 2013, with his contract expiring in June, Belkalem said that he would be leaving JS Kabylie at the end of the season to join a European club.

Granada

In June 2013, with his contract with JS Kabylie expired, it was announced that Belkalem had signed a five-year contract with Spanish La Liga club Granada, joining them on a free transfer.

Watford

Belkalem signed for Championship club Watford on a season-long loan on 12 August 2013. He wore the number 5 shirt. He made his debut for Watford in their 2–0 League Cup victory over Bournemouth on 28 August 2013, playing the full 90 minutes. His league debut came in a 1–1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic on 14 September 2013. Watford exercised the right to make Belkalem's move a permanent one following the expiry of his loan, joining on an undisclosed deal in June 2014. On 10 August 2016, Belkalem was released from his contract at Watford, after playing 10 times in three years.

Trabzonspor (loan)

After moving to Watford permanently in the summer of 2014, Belkalem made the move to Turkish Süper Lig side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan deal linking up…

In 2007, Belkalem was called up to the Algerian U20 national team for the first edition of the Mediterranean Trophy held in Sicily, Italy. In 2008, he started in a 2009 African Youth Championship qualifier against Mauritania. In August 2009, Belkalem received his first call-up to the Algeria Under-23 national team for a week-long training camp in Algiers. In 2010, he was called up to the Algeria A' national team for a qualifier against Libya. On 12 May 2012, Belkalem was called up for the first time to the Algeria national team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Rwanda, and the return leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia. On 9 September, he made his debut for the team as a starter in the first leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations second round qualifier against Libya. Belkalem played the entire match as Algeria went on to win 1–0. On 31 May 2014, Belkalem played an International Friendly, he scored his first international goal, he scored the first goal of the match between his team Algeria against Armenia and Algeria won the match by the score of 3–1. Belkalem was later included in Algeria's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, helping them to the Round of 16 for the first time.

In 2009, Belkalem was chosen as the third best young talent in the Algerian Championnat National behind Abderahmane Hachoud and Youcef Ghazali in a vote conducted by DZFoot.