The Algerian national football team, also known as the Greens, has begun its new era under the leadership of coach Ibrahim Hamdani. The team started its training on Monday at the National Technical Center in Sidi Moussa, Algiers, in preparation for the first two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Hamdani, 48, is accompanied by former Algerian international Antar Yahia as his assistant coach.
The team's training session is the first under the new technical staff, which also includes Nasser Eddine Berrarama as goalkeeper coach and Nasser Dainesh as physical preparer. A total of 26 players were called up for the training session, with all of them arriving at the team's headquarters gradually since Monday morning. However, midfielder Nabil Bentaleb was excused from the training due to an injury he sustained while playing for his French club Lille.
To replace Bentaleb, Hamdani called up Adil Bourbaya, a 21-year-old midfielder from French club Lomon, for the first time. The team's new era comes after the departure of former coach Vladimir Petkovic, who left the team after the 2026 World Cup. The team's new coach has made several changes to the squad, with some players from the previous World Cup team not being called up, including Houssam Aouar and Ramiz Zerrouki.
The team's new squad also sees the retirement of two experienced players, captain Riyad Mahrez and defender Issa Mandi, which opens the door for new players to join the team. The Greens will play their first match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zambia on Friday at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers. The team will then travel to Bujumbura to face Burundi on September 29.
In addition to the qualifiers, the team will also play a friendly match against Niger on October 6 at the Stade du 5 Juillet. The team's training session and upcoming matches will provide Hamdani and his technical staff with an opportunity to assess the team's performance and make necessary adjustments. The team's goal is to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The team's new era under Hamdani has generated significant interest among Algerian football fans, who are eager to see the team's performance in the upcoming matches. The team's management has been working hard to prepare the team for the challenges ahead, and the fans are optimistic about the team's chances of success.
The Algerian national team's matches and training sessions are closely followed by the media and fans in Algeria. The team's performance in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will be crucial in determining the team's chances of qualifying for the tournament. The team's coach, Hamdani, will be under pressure to deliver positive results and lead the team to success.
Key points
- Algeria's national football team starts new era under coach Ibrahim Hamdani ahead of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
