AFCON 2023 – Algeria: “I don’t give a damn about your thanks”, Belmadi shoots down a journalist

Djamel Belmadi’s post-match press conference following Algeria’s 0-1 defeat by Mauritania, which meant another early exit from the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, was inevitably tinged with tension.

The tension was exacerbated when the coach was asked a particularly incisive question: “You are going down in history as the first Algerian coach to be eliminated in the first round of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations twice in succession. (…) Given these two successive failures, don’t you think there’s a deeper problem with your approach? Belmadi’s reaction, which he took as a personal vendetta, was swift and direct.

Belmadi’s scathing statement

“In any case, you’ve been on a mission from the start,” Belmadi retorted forcefully. “That’s what you’re known for. You didn’t mention that I’m one of the few Algerian coaches, the second, to have won the African Cup. I don’t care about your thanks. I’ve known you for 6 years. I don’t even know how to respond to that, especially if it’s to start in this way… For me, this isn’t journalism. You’ve been on a mission from the start, and I’ve already told you that! Next question.

After a particularly tense start to the press conference, the atmosphere eased slightly afterwards. Belmadi, who has reportedly informed his players of his resignation, took time to defend his achievements. “When I took over the team, we were 14th in the CAF rankings and 60th in the FIFA rankings. Today, we are 4th in CAF and 30th in FIFA,” said the 47-year-old coach, whose departure is looking increasingly likely.