National Team Coach Belmadi Will Compete In “CAN” To Be Hosted By Cameroon With Rich Line-Up

The national football team coach Djamel Belmadi unveiled his list of 28 players selected for the CAN 2021 in Cameroon (January 9 – February 6), not without reshuffling his line-up.

New on this list are thirteen (13) players called up for the first time in the national team to play a final phase of the African Cup of Nations.

They are Youcef Zoghba, Mohamed Réda Halaïmia, Abdelkader Bedrane, Mohamed Amine Tougaï, Hocine Benayada, Lyes Chetti, Adam Zorgane, Ramiz Zerrouki, Haris Belkebla, Sofiane Bendebka, Farid Boulaya, Saïd Benrahma and Mohamed El-Amine Amoura.

It should also be noted that eight (8) players who participated in the CAN 2019 in Egypt will not be travelling to the country of Samuel Eto’o (Camaroon), namely Azeddine Doukha, Rafik Halliche – who has hung up his boots -, Mehdi Zeffane, Mohamed Fares, Mehdi Abeid, Adlene Guedioura, Hichem Boudaoui and Andy Delort.

It should be stated that fifteen (15) players who won the last CAN in Egypt are again recalled by the national coach to take part in the 33rd edition of this prestigious African football competition.

They are Raïs M’bolhi, Alexandre Oukidja, Ramy Bensebaïni, Djamel Benlamri, Youcef Attal, Aïssa Mandi, Mehdi Tahrat, Ismaël Bennacer, Sofiane Feghouli, Islam Slimani, Baghdad Bounedjah, Riyad Mahrez, Youcef Belaïli, Adem Ounas and Yacine Brahimi.

The Greens of Algeria will kick off their African adventure in the hope of retaining their title on 11 January against Sierra Leone, then Equatorial Guinea (16 January) before facing Côte d’Ivoire (20 January).

It is worth recalling that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has authorized the African squads to call up 28 players instead of 23.

List of 28 called up players:

Goalkeepers: Raïs M’bolhi (Al-Ittifaq/Saudi Arabia), Alexandre Oukidja (FC Metz/France), Mustapha Zeghba (Damac FC/Saudi Arabia).

Defenders: Ramy Bensebaïni (B. Monchengladbach/Germany), Djamel Benlamri (Qatar SC/Qatar), Youcef Atal (OGC Nice/France), Mohamed Réda Halaïmia (KFCO Beerschot/Belgium), Aïssa Mandi (Villarreal/Spain), Abdelkader Bedrane (ES Tunis/Tunisia), Mehdi Tahrat (Al-Gharafa/Qatar), Mohamed Amine Tougaï (ES Tunis/Tunisia), Houcine Benayada (ES Sahel/Tunisia), Lyes Chetti (ES Tunis/Tunisia)

Midfielders: Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan/Italy), Adam Zorgane (SC Charleroi/Belgium), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente FC/Netherlands), Sofiane Feghouli (Galatasaray/Turkey), Haris Belkebla (Stade brestois/France), Sofiane Bendebka (Al Fateh FC/Saudi Arabia)

Forwards: Farid Boulaya (FC Metz/France), Islam Slimani (O. Lyon/France), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al-Sadd/Qatar), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City/England), Youcef Belaïli (no club), Saïd Benrahma (West Ham/England), Adem Ounas (SSC Naples/Italy), Mohamed El-Amine Amoura (FC Lugano/Switzerland), Yacine Brahimi (Al-Rayyan SC/Qatar).