Algeria: The future leader of the dressing room is starting to take shape

Sep 19, 2026

With the international departures of Riyad Mahrez and Aïssa Mandi, the Greens are set to turn a new page during the upcoming international break. With just a few days before the matches against Zambia and Burundi, a particular question arises regarding the captain's armband, which should go to one of the most experienced members of the team.

The new coach Brahim Hemdani will have to choose between two strong candidates: Nabil Bentaleb and Ramy Bensebaïni. The former has a long history with the Greens, having made his first appearance on March 4, 2014, against Slovenia. The midfielder now has a total of 63 international caps.

Bensebaïni, on the other hand, has an even richer international record in terms of appearances. He made his debut for Algeria on January 7, 2017, against Mauritania, and the Borussia Dortmund defender boasts a total of 85 caps. He is also a key figure in the generation that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.

Behind these two players, the gap in terms of seniority quickly becomes significant. Ahmed Touba is currently the third most senior player called up, having made his first appearance in June 2021, ahead of Adem Zorgane, who debuted a few months later in September, and Mohamed Amine Amoura, who joined the Greens in October of the same year.

The rest of the roster is even more recent. Zineddine Belaïd, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Farès Chaïbi, and Jaouen Hadjam all made their debuts in 2023, while Amine Gouiri joined this wave a few months later. The other players called up for the FIFA date in September are therefore even newer than these last ones, highlighting the emergence of a promising new generation ready to defend the national colors.

Thus, even though several experienced players aspire to a prominent role in the group, international experience naturally positions Bentaleb and Bensebaïni at the forefront to receive the armband left vacant by Mahrez and Mandi. The final decision is expected to be announced during the next gathering.

DZfoot