Following the draw held in Costa Do Sauipe, Brazil, on Friday evening, Algeria has been placed in Group H alongside Belgium, Russia, and South Korea. The team, known as the Greens, will kick off their competition against Belgium, face South Korea in their second match, and conclude the group stage against Russia.
While the draw may appear favorable for Madjid Bougherra and his teammates, the captain of the Fennecs acknowledges that Belgium and Fabio Capello’s Russian team are the two favorites in the group. Bougherra states, “Belgium is the biggest team in the group with very talented young players. Russia will also be very challenging to handle, with a coach (Capello) who has been familiar with us since 2010. So, he could be even more cautious. I am less familiar with South Korea, but it’s not the 2002 team anymore. Their players often display discipline and a good ball-playing style.”
Despite being placed in a relatively manageable group for the second consecutive World Cup final phase, Bougherra emphasizes the need for caution, as the selected teams are well-versed in this type of competition. Having not advanced beyond the group stage in their three previous World Cup participations, the Greens aim to create a surprise in their fourth adventure and, ideally, reach the round of 16. Bougherra expresses, “We want to go to the round of 16 because our country has never reached there.” The defensive leader of the Greens sees facing Belgium first as an advantage, stating, “I think it’s better to meet Belgium first. We faced Slovenia last time and lost against the seemingly weakest opponent. It’s better to take on the strongest from the start.”
