December 30, (THEWILL) – The Algeria national football team has announced its squad selection for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament with coach Djamel Belmadi inserting some controversy, as he chose to keep faith with defender Youcef Atal despite the player facing legal issues in France.
Atal was recently suspended by his club OGC Nice after sharing controversial social media content that led to accusations of inciting hatred. While the exact details remain unclear, Atal did issue an apology before having charges reduced to incitement of religious hatred. Despite the controversy, Belmadi has opted to stand by the veteran defender as Algeria looks to contend for the AFCON title.
Belmadi did make some difficult squad decisions, notably leaving out West Ham forward Said Benrahma after the two had a falling out during a recent friendly match. Some veteran players like Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez and AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer retained their places in the team, joined by ageing stars plying their trades abroad like Islam Slimani.
Algeria faces a difficult task navigating Group D at this year’s tournament alongside sides like Angola, Mauritania and Burkina Faso. The competition runs from January 13 to February 11 and is hosted by Ivory Coast. Belmadi and his selections look to repeat the success of the 2019 event and bring home another trophy.
The tournament will be closely watched by football fans across Africa and globally as some of the continent’s biggest stars take the pitch for their national teams. Algeria has high expectations and a lot for which to play in its upcoming AFCON matches.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
