Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Banner Left
Banner Right

Controversial Atal named in Algeria Cup of Nations squad

Nice’s Algerian defender Youcef Atal (L) fights for the ball with Toulouse’s French midfielder Fares Chaibi during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and Toulouse FC at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on May 21, 2023. AFP

Youcef Atal, presently on trial in France accused of inciting hatred, has been selected in Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations squad by head coach Djamel Belmadi.

The 27-year-old defender has not played for his Ligue 1 side Nice since mid-October after he caused a furore posting a video in which a Palestinian preacher purportedly threatens Israel with a “black day”.

Atal shared the video on his Instagram account, which has 3.2 million followers, shortly after the attack by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7 in which 1,139 people were killed.

He quickly deleted the post and issued an apology, but was suspended by his club while prosecutors probed the incident for suspected “justification of terrorism”.

But they dropped that line of investigation after watching the video and questioning the player, instead charging him with “incitement to religious hatred”.

Atal was suspended for seven matches by a French Professional Football League disciplinary committee but he has played the last three international matches for Algeria.

There is no room in the squad, though, for West Ham forward Said Benrahma, who has been left out in the cold after he had a furious row with Belmadi when he was substituted during the friendly with Egypt in October.

Belmadi has kept faith with several of the key players from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winning side.

Former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez, one of several ageing stars to move to Saudi Arabia, Islam Slimani, who at 35 is plying his trade in Brazil, and AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer, make the squad.

Algeria have been drawn in Group D alongside Angola, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

The biennial tournament is being hosted by Ivory Coast and runs from January 13 to February 11.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Anthony Mandrea (Caen/FRA), Rais M’Bolhi (Belouizdad), Oussama Benbot (USM Alger)

Defenders: Youcef Atal (Nice/FRA), Kevin Guitoun Van Den Kerkhof (Metz/FRA), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Wolves/ENG), Yasser Larouci (Sheffield United/ENG), Aissa Mandi (Villarreal/ESP), Mohamed Tougai (ES Tunis/TUN), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Ahmed Touba (Lecce/ITA), Zineddine Belaid (USM Alger)

Midfielders: Ismael Bennacer (AC Milan/ITA), Houssem Aouar (AS Roma/ITA), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice/FRA), Nabil Bentaleb (Lille/FRA), Sofiane Feghouli (Karagumruk/TUR), Ramiz Zerrouki (Feyenoord/NED), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)

Forwards: Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli/KSA), Islam Slimani (Coritiba/BRA), Mohamed Amoura (Saint Gilloise/BEL), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al-Sadd/QAT), Amine Gouiri (Renne/FRA), Youcef Belaili (MC Alger), Adam Ounas (Lille/FRA)

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News