U17 Africa Cup of Nations: Lessons from the 2026 tournament

Algeria's U17 national football team secured a spot in the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, despite their elimination from the U17 Africa Cup of Nations in the quarter-finals. The team's journey in the continental tournament, hosted in Morocco, saw them advance from the group stage on a tiebreaker against Ghana, following a draw, a win, and a narrow loss.

In the quarter-finals, Algeria drew 3-3 with Tanzania before losing in a penalty shootout. Notably, Tanzania went on to reach the final of the tournament. Despite the quarter-final exit, the qualification for the World Cup is highlighted as a significant achievement in itself, considering the historical performance of Algerian youth teams in such competitions.

The article strongly criticizes what it describes as "violent and bitter" commentary directed at the team's coach, Amine Ghimouz. The author suggests that some of the criticism may be "commissioned" and unfairly targets Ghimouz, who is presented as a product of Algerian football development. The piece argues that while the team's performance might not have been brilliant, it was far from a failure, especially given the World Cup qualification.

Furthermore, the article decries the "pressure and control" that certain parties allegedly attempt to exert over the technical staff of national selections. It asserts that player selection, preparation, and game strategy are the exclusive responsibility of the technical staff, not external parties, including parents. The author deems it "unacceptable" to threaten or intimidate a coach based on their choices or match outcomes and calls on the Football Federation to address this issue.