Algeria name World Cup squad

Halilhodzic

The shop window of English football has catapulted three players into Algeria’s 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup including Tottenham Hotspur teenager Nabil Bentaleb.

Two players from the Championship are also in the list named by coach Vahid Halilhodzic in Algiers on Monday.

Halilhodzic surprised many by including uncapped French-born midfielder Riyad Mahrez after he helped Leicester City to promotion and recalled forward Rafik Djebbour, after his move to Nottingham Forest in January.

Bentableb, promoted to Spurs’ first team after Tim Sherwood took over as manager at the start of the year, won his first cap for Algeria in March after switching allegiance from his native France, who he won junior caps for.

“I only found out about Mahrez in February and went to watch a few of his matches. He’s an interesting player,” Halilhodzic told a press conference at the the Algerian Football Federation training centre.

Of Djebbour, who went to Forest from Greece, he added: “His form has improved tremendously in recent times and he’s an important player for the spirit of the squad.”

Striker Ishak Belfodil, of Italian club Livorno, is the only major surprise of those left out. Disciplinary problems have marked his brief international career, which began last August in a friendly against Guinea.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Azzedine Doukha (USM El Harrach), Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger)

Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford), Madjid Bougherra (Al Lekhwiya), Liassine Cadamuro (Mallorca), Faouzi Ghoulam (Naples), Rafik Halliche (Academica Coimbra), Nacereddine Khoualed (USM Alger), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (Ajaccio)

Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryad Boudebouz (Bastia), Yacine Brahimi (Granada), Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Adlene Guedioura (Crystal Palace), Foued Kadir (Stade Rennes), Amir Karaoui (Entente Setif), Mehdi Lacen (Getafe), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Hassan Yebda (Udinese)

Forwards: Rafik Djebbour (Nottingham Forest), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon), El Arabi Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb)

Article by : Mzansi Football and KickOff.com