2010 FIFA World Cup - Algeria
2010 FIFA World Cup - Algeria National Team
2010 FIFA World Cup Algeria National Team:
Goalkeepers:
1 Lounes GAOUAOUI, 16 Faouzi CHAOUCHI and
23 Rais M BOLHI
Defenders:
2 Madjid BOUGHERRA, 3 Nadir BELHADJ, 4 Anther YAHIA, 5 Rafik HALLICHE,
12 Habib BELLAID, 14 Abdelkader LAIFAOUI, 18 Carl MEDJANI and 20 Djamel MESBAH
Midfielders:
6 Yazid MANSOURI,
7 Ryad BOUDEBOUZ, 8 Medhi LACEN, 13 Karim MATMOUR, 15 Karim ZIANI, 17 Adlane GUEDIOURA, 19 Hassan YEBDA,
21 Foued KADIRand 22 Djamal ABDOUN
Forwards:
9 Abdelkader GHEZZAL, 10 Rafik SAIFI and 11 Rafik DJEBBOUR
Coach:
Rabah SAADANE
Top Players Karim Ziani (ALG).
2010 FIFA World Cup Schedule & Scores
The star players
Scorer of the goal that took Les Fennecs through to South Africa, Antar Yahia is one of the pillars at the back for his team, a status he shares with Madjid Bougherra, Nadir Belhadj and goalkeeper Lounes Gaouaoui, although back-up custodian Fawzi Chaouchi is now making serious claims on the gloves. Midfield is Algeria’s strength, meanwhile, with captain Yazid Mansouri spreading the ball around and forward-thinkers Karim Ziani and Mourad Meghni the most likely players to spark danger. Lastly, striker Karim Matmour has steadily been proving himself more than useful on the right wing.
The coach
Following a modest playing career in his homeland and briefly in France, ‘Cheik’ (the Elder, the Wise or the Master) Rabah Saadane quickly tried his hand at coaching. He soon found employment with the national association, first taking charge of various youth teams. In 1982, he was part of the coaching staff as Algeria disputed the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. Four years later, he took over the reins of the national side but paid the price for poor results at the global showcase. He took up the post again for a short while in 1999, then from 2003 to 2004 and began his current stint in 2007. In the club game, the veteran trainer notably lifted the CAF Champions League with Raja Casablanca in 1989 and the Arab Champions League title with ES Setif in 2007.
Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa will mark Algeria’s third appearance at a FIFA World Cup finals, and they will be looking to graduate from the group stage for the first time in their history. In 1982, they made history by defeating West Germany 2-1 and Chile 3-2, only to lose 2-0 to Austria. Four years on from their debut, with a certain Saadane in the dugout, they shared a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland before losing 1-0 to Brazil and 3-0 to Spain.
Records
1 CAF African Cup of Nations (1990)
Algeria - 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 - Algeria
The outsiders The North Africans are back on the world stage after a 24-year absence following their
play-off victory over Egypt. Rabah Saadane's side – who had eliminated Senegal in the second African
qualifying round – boast top-level European experience in their ranks, including midfielder Karim Ziani
at German champions Wolfsburg and pacy left-back Nadir Belhadj at English club Portsmouth. Antar Yahia,
the match-winner against Egypt, will face Bochum colleague Zlatko Dedic in an opening match against Slovenia
in Polokwane that both countries will consider their best chance of three points.