José Peseiro reveals details of his talks with Algerian Football Federation

José Vítor dos Santos Peseiro has opened up about his discussions with the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) after being shortlisted to replace Djamel Belmadi as national team coach.

The Portuguese manager, who guided Nigeria to the 2023 AFCON final, was among the three finalists for the Algeria job before Vladimir Petkovic’s appointment.

Peseiro confirmed that he held advanced talks with the federation but ultimately missed out on the position.

Before appointing Petkovic, the FAF had explored several options to fill the role, assessing profiles with international pedigree. The final shortlist included Carlos Queiroz, José Peseiro, and Vladimir Petkovic.

Peseiro, now in charge of Zamalek SC in Egypt, expressed gratitude for being considered. “It was an honour for me to be among the candidates to coach the Algerian team,” he said. “I felt very enthusiastic about the opportunity.

The final choice went to the current coach, who is doing a good job. I don’t know if the reason we didn’t reach an agreement was financial or not.”

Despite missing out, Peseiro spoke respectfully about the Algerian setup and praised the federation’s decision.

He congratulated the FAF and Petkovic for securing Algeria’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, describing the team as strong enough to achieve “something important” at the tournament.

“Algeria has the necessary quality to accomplish great things in the next edition of the competition,” Peseiro added.

While his tenure in Egypt continues, Peseiro’s remarks revealed how close he came to leading the Fennecs. His experience with national teams, including Nigeria, placed him among the top contenders for the post.

As for Petkovic, the Bosnian coach has already met expectations by guiding Algeria to the World Cup.

His appointment appears justified, ending speculation over whether the FAF made the right choice.