Algeria head into the 2026 World Cup as a team in transition, twelve years after their memorable 2014 run when they pushed eventual champions Germany to extra time. The North Africans, who also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, now boast Africa's highest-paid manager, an ageing former PFA Player of the Year, and a teenage sensation dubbed 'Mazza-donna'.
Riyad Mahrez, now 35, remains the talisman but his place in the starting lineup sparks intense debate. African football journalist Ali Howorth notes: 'His legs are gone, and there's a sense of: does he bring the energy we need? When Algeria rested players in their final AFCON group game, they actually played their best, most exciting football using younger talent.' Howorth expects Mahrez to start but says 'this is surely his last tournament'.
Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French legend Zinedine Zidane, faces scrutiny despite being 'very, very good with the ball at his feet'. At around 5ft 10in, he struggles with crosses and aerial presence, which proved costly in Algeria's AFCON knockout exit against Nigeria. 'Goalkeeping has been a massive issue for Algeria for six years,' Howorth adds.
Teenager Ibrahim Maza, a half-Vietnamese, half-Algerian midfielder at Bayer Leverkusen, is the one to watch. Howorth compares him to Phil Foden: 'He can receive a ball rocketed at his feet on the turn and not slow down his mid-sprint at all. Maza has that exact same rare ability.' Nominated for Bundesliga Rookie of the Year, Maza impressed at the AFCON and is expected to shine on the global stage.
Manager Vladimir Petkovic, the Swiss-Bosnian who previously guided Switzerland, divides opinion. Howorth describes Algeria as 'a calculated, defensively resilient setup that could easily turn into a knockout-stage wildcard'.
