The Algerian national team had a disastrous experience at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024), which has been taking place in Côte d’Ivoire since 13 January.
The Fennecs suffered an early elimination in the first round of the tournament, a scenario reminiscent of their equally disappointing performance at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, held in January 2022 in Cameroon.
In the Algerian delegation in Côte d’Ivoire, the feeling of disappointment is omnipresent, affecting the players, the technical team and all the members of the delegation. In Algeria and elsewhere, Algerian fans are deeply affected by their team’s elimination, a feeling shared by many experts, including journalists, technicians, as well as former players and coaches, who have not hesitated to express their disappointment and sometimes their anger at this bitter elimination.
Among the voices raised was that of former Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who coached the Fennecs from June 2011 to July 2014. On his Facebook page, he shared a message expressing his sadness: “What a huge disappointment,” wrote the Franco-Bosnian coach, recalling his time in Algeria, which ended almost ten years ago. He concluded his message by adding: “A unique people”, accompanied by an Algerian flag.
In 2015, a year after leading Algeria to the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup for the first time in the country’s history, Vahid Halilodzic described that period as “the best moments of [his] life”. Today, he repeats that statement, especially after disappointing experiences in 2010 with Côte d’Ivoire, in 2018 with Japan, and in 2022 with Morocco. In all three cases, he managed to qualify these nations for the World Cup, but was unable to accompany them to the final phase of the tournament. This happened with Côte d’Ivoire in 2010, Japan in 2018 and Morocco in 2022. Algeria remains the only country that has allowed him to continue his adventure at the finals, which explains the recognition and special affection he continues to feel for this nation.
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