No preference for starting role Youssef Belaili focused on Algeria’s success

Algeria’s dynamic forward Youssef Belaili proved his worth off the bench during the Warriors’ 3-1 triumph over Botswana in the fifth round of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on Friday.

Coming on for Amine Gouiri in the 69th minute, the Esperance standout wasted no time making an impact, delivering a pinpoint pass to Mohamed El Amine Amoura for the team’s third goal just five minutes later. His contribution helped seal a crucial win for the Greens in a hard-fought battle.

Speaking to the press afterward, Belaili shrugged off personal accolades. “Honestly, I don’t care about the decisive pass, or participating in the starting lineup.. The most important thing for me is winning and making the Algerian people happy,” he said.

Reflecting on the match, he added, “We played a very tough match, in difficult weather conditions, and we performed well, which allowed us to win against a competitor who played with great physical energy.”

Looking ahead, Belaili urged focus. “Now we must close this match and focus on our next match against Mozambique, which will be at home, in front of our fans, on whom we will rely heavily to achieve a positive result.”