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Algeria head into the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations with renewed hope but measured expectations, as head coach Vladimir Petkovic insists he will not make bold promises after the country’s recent tournament disappointments.
The Desert Foxes last lifted the AFCON trophy in 2019, defeating Senegal 1-0 in Cairo thanks to an early strike from Baghdad Bounedjah.
That side, inspired by Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, was widely tipped to dominate African football for years to come.
Instead, Algeria endured back-to-back group-stage exits at the 2022 tournament in Cameroon and the 2024 edition in the Ivory Coast.
Those campaigns ended without a single win, with defeats to Equatorial Guinea and Mauritania proving particularly damaging to the team’s reputation.
The poor run ultimately led to the dismissal of long-serving coach Djamel Belmadi, who had overseen the 2019 triumph.
His successor, Petkovic — a Bosnia and Herzegovina native who previously spent seven years in charge of Switzerland — has steadied the ship.
Since taking over, Algeria have recorded 15 wins, three draws and just two defeats, results that secured qualification for both the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 World Cup.
Despite that progress, Petkovic remains wary. Algeria will contest Group E in Rabat alongside Sudan, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea and are widely regarded as the favourite to advance. However, the coach insists the priority is simply to reach the knockout rounds.
“We are favourites in our group, and we have to accept that responsibility,” Petkovic told Algerian media. “Our first objective is to qualify for the second round. After that, we will see. I never promise anything.”
He stressed the importance of unity and collective belief, saying the players must represent the national shirt with pride and courage. According to Petkovic, success will depend not just on talent but on the support of the entire nation.
Mahrez, now 34 and playing for Saudi side Al Ahli, echoed his manager’s cautious approach. He warned against complacency, pointing to Algeria’s recent AFCON failures as a reminder that reputations alone do not win tournaments.
“We have to be realistic after what happened in the last two AFCONs,” Mahrez said. “We cannot afford another failure. People can call us favourites, but that means nothing. Morocco should be the main favourites because they are playing at home with massive support.”
Sudan, meanwhile, arrived as one of the tournament’s surprise qualifiers after edging out four-time champions Ghana. Unable to play home matches due to the ongoing conflict between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese side defied expectations under coach Kwesi Appiah.
Appiah has emphasised mentality and recovery as key factors, urging his players not to be intimidated by star names and to prioritise rest, sleep and physical recovery during the tournament. Veteran forward Mohamed Abdelrahman returns to the squad, which is captained by defender Bakhit Khamis.
Burkina Faso also pose a serious challenge, having previously reached one final and two semi-finals since 2013. Captain Bertrand Traore will be making his sixth AFCON appearance, while the squad also includes Premier League attacker Dango Ouattara, now with Brentford.
Equatorial Guinea complete the group and bring their own pedigree, having reached the knockout stages in all four of their previous AFCON appearances. Captain Emilio Nsue was the competition’s top scorer at the last tournament with five goals, underlining their threat.
As the tournament approaches, Algeria may once again be talked up as contenders, but under Petkovic, caution — rather than bold declarations — defines their path forward.
