Coach
Rabah SAADANE
03.05.46
Algeria coach since 2007
Brought back initially as stopgap for Algeria after the firing of Frenchman Jean-Michel Cavalli for failure to reach the finals of the 2008 Nations Cup. But after early success he stayed on and engineered a surprise march to the 2010 World Cup. His previous stints include coaching the country at the 1982 finals in Spain, where Algeria beat West Germany in one of the tournament’s great shock results.
Goalkeepers
Faouzi CHAOUCHI
05.12.84
Entente Setif
8 caps (0 goals)
Narrowly avoided a lengthy ban for head butting a referee at the Nations Cup in Angola when the Confederation of African Football decided there was insufficient evidence to warrant stiff sanctions. Instead has a brief ban which will see him miss the first game of the tournament in South Africa.
Lounes GOUAOUI
29.08.77
ASO Chlef
48 caps (0 goals)
Algeria’s first choice goalkeeper who was suspended for their World Cup play-off triumph over Egypt in November and then ruled out of the African Nations Cup finals in Angola because of injury. Played in the 2002 and 2004 Nations Cup finals and has also captained the Algerian side.
Rais M’BOHLI
25.04.86
Slavia Sofia
1 caps (0 goals)
M’Bolhi was born in Paris, France to a Congolese father and Algerian mother. Was capped by France 7 times at the Under-16 and Under-17 level. Subsequently, he was called up by the Algerian Under-23 team, but was refused release by his club Marseille.
Defenders
Habib BELLAID
28.03.86
Boulogne
1 cap (0 goals)
French-born Bellaid was a France youth international from childhood being capped at all levels from the U-15s all the way through to the U-21s.He was also eligible to play for Tunisia.
Nadir BELHADJ
18.06.82
Portsmouth (Eng)
43 caps (4 goals)
One of the large contingent of French-born players in the squad and with the potential to prove a game winner for his country. Was a Ligue 1 champion with Olympique Lyonnaise before moving to Portsmouth, where he has had to suffer the trauma of relegation. Banned for the opening game of the World Cup because of a sanction received for a red card during the Nations Cup in Angola in January.
Majid BOUGHERRA
07.10.82
Rangers (Sco)
40 caps (4 goals)
The inspirational leader of the side, whose fighting spirit literally dragged his teammates to an unexpected semifinal place at the Nations Cup in January. Came across to England from Gueugnon in France and played in obscurity at Crewe Alexandria before moving onto Sheffield Wednesday rand then Charlton Athletic, when they were still in the English premier league.
Rafik HALLICHE
02.09.86
Nacional (Por)
15 caps (1 goal)
Moved to Madeira two years ago after being spotted playing for NA Hussein-Dey in the Algerian league. His move to Europe coincided with his first call-up to the national team at the start of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Scored a cracking goal against Mali in the Nations Cup in January that revived Algeria’s campaign after they looked to be headed home early.
Abdelkader LAIFAOUI
09.07.81
Entente Setif
7 caps (0 goals)
Drafted back into the squad midway through 2009 after a five year absence from the national side and has proved a steady back-up in the defensive department. Won his first cap in 2004 against Burkian Faso but his second international appearance came just five days short of five years later in August last year. He worked his way back into contention by helping his club win the Algerian championship and Arab Champions Cup.
Carl MEDJANI
15.05.85
Ajaccio
0 caps
In 2003, Liverpool beat off stiff competition from Premiership rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and German side Bayern Munich to secure Medjani’s services. Never made an appearance for the English side and was signed by Lorient in 2006.
Antar YAHIA
21.03.82
Bochum (Ger)
43 caps (5 goals)
The first player to make use of the change of FIFA statutes in 2003 and switch his footballing nationality, having won caps for France at junior level he changed allegiance to the country of his parents and was used at the 2004 Nations Cup in Tunisia. Now a folk hero in Algeria for the Van-Basten style volley that was the only goal of the play-off match against Egypt last November secured for Algeria their World Cup place.
Midfielders
Djamal ABDOUN
14.02.86
Nantes (Fra)
5 caps (0 goals)
Applied last year to convert his footballing nationality to Algeria after winning junior caps for France, where he was born. Algeria had courted him for some time seeing him as an option to strengthen their squad but he was unable to win a starting berth at the Nations Cup in Angola. Had an abortive loan spell at Manchester City but made a solitaryt appearance as a substitute and went back to Ajaccio after six months.
Ryad BOUDEBOUZ
19.2.90
Sochaux (Fra)
0 caps (0 goals)
France-born attacking midfielder who has been contacted by the Algeria federation in the wake of the Nations Cup in Angola.
Adlène GUEDIOURA
12.11.85
Wolverhampton Wanderers (Eng)
1 caps (0 goals)
Holds an economics degree. Attacking midfielder, who joined Wolves in January 2010 on a six-month deal and impressed enough to earn a three-year deal with the Premier League outfit.
Foued KADIR
05.12.83
Valenciennes (Fra)
0 caps (0 goals)
Kadir made his debut for the Algerian national team in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland.
Mehdi LACEN
05.02.84
Racing Santander (Spa)
1 caps (0 goals)
Pulled out of 2010 African Cup of Nations squad due to his wife’s pregnancy. Made his debut in March in midfield in a home defeat by Serbia. Lacen’s younger brother, Michael, is also a footballer.
Yazid MANSOURI
25.02.78
Lorient (Fra)
65 caps (0 goals)
Most capped player in the current squad and captain of the side, running the midfield. Started his career at Le Havre in France, where he was born, before spending a season at Coventry City before returning to the French league. Played at the 2002, 2004 and 2010 African Nations Cup finals.
Karim MATMOUR
25.06.85
Borussia Monchengladbach
21 caps (2 goals)
Another French-born Algerian. He received first call up to Algeria against Libya, on 6 February 2007.
Djamel MESBAH
09.10.84
Lecce (Ita)
0 caps (0 goals)
Scouted recently as a back-up player for the left side of the midfield. Born in Algeria but grew up in Annecy in France and spent most of his career in the Swiss league, including playing a part in Basle’s 2005 championship win. Moved to Avellino in Italy in 2008 and then Lecce in Serie B one season later.
Hassan YEBDA
14.05.84
Portsmouth (Eng)
9 caps (0 goals)
Former French junior international who made his debut for Algeria last September in a World Cup qualifier against Rwanda. A junior from the fabled production line at Auxerre, he played at Laval and Le Mans before spending a season at Benfica in Portugal and then moving to Portsmouth.
Karim ZIANI
17.08.82
Wolfsburg (Ger)
53 goals (4 goals)
Played in all but one of Algeria’s qualifiers en route to the World Cup and is the acknowledged star of the side. His career has stagnated this season in the Bundesliga after moving to Marseille in France. The pint-sized ball wizard came to prominence in 2006 on the books of Lorient when he was named the best player in France’s Ligue 2.
Forwards
Rafik DJEBBOUR
08.03.84
AEK (Gre)
14 caps (3 goals)
Missed the Nations Cup at the start of the year through injury but back in March to stake a claim for a World Cup berth. A junior at Auxerre but never got the first team and went to Belgium and then Greece in search of professional career. Was at La Louviere before a 2005 move to Asteras in the Greek league.
Abdelkader GHEZZAL
05.12.84
Siena (Ita)
17 caps (3 goals)
French-born striker who is the latest in a high turn over list of target men as Algeria battle to find a recognised scorer. Ghezzal got a vital score against Egypt in the qualifiers but his return overall in front of goal has been poor. Played at amateur club Saint Priest in France before moving to serie C with Crotone, who sold him to battling Sienna two seasons ago.
Rafik SAIFI
07.02.75
Istres (Fra) 58 caps (18 goals)
Scorer of three goals in the 2010 qualifiers but has had several battles with injury over the last years. The oldest player in the squad, who has been to three Nations Cup finals and debuted back in 1998. Saifi won the Algerian league title with Mouloudia Alger in 1999 and then signed for Troyes in France, going on to play at Istres, Ajaccio and Lorient.
