Algeria Kicks Off 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers with New Coach and Star Player

Algeria’s national football team, the “Desert Warriors,” has been training at their headquarters in Algiers ahead of the start of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The team is set to begin their campaign in Group E with a match against Equatorial Guinea in Oran on Thursday, followed by a game against Liberia in Monrovia five days later.

According to defender Naoufel Khacef, the team is feeling confident and focused under their new coach, Vladimir Petkovic, who took over the role in February following Djamel Belmadi’s exit. “Everything is okay. The camp is good, with the new coach – as you said – and new players. So it is okay. We are here to give all we have,” Khacef said.

The upcoming matches will be the first fixtures in which star player Riyad Mahrez will feature under Petkovic. Mahrez has been a key player for the team, helping them win the African Cup of Nations title in 2019 under Belmadi’s leadership. However, Algeria failed to win a match or advance beyond the group stage at the last two AFCONs.

As the team looks to bounce back from their recent struggles, they will be relying on the experience and skills of their new coach and star players. With the qualifying matches set to begin, the “Desert Warriors” are eager to make a strong start and secure their spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.