Nabil Bentaleb admits Algeria have regrets over 2026 World Cup exit

Algeria midfielder Nabil Bentaleb has admitted the national team were left with regrets after their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended with defeat against Switzerland.

The Lille OSC player reflected on the tournament after confirming his future at club level by signing a new contract that will keep him with the French side until June 2028.

Bentaleb, who remains an important figure for the Fennecs, said the experience of representing Algeria at the World Cup was special but acknowledged that the team could have performed better in their knockout match.

The midfielder also revealed the importance he places on the national team shirt, explaining why he did not exchange his jersey after matches during the tournament.

“No, I didn’t change jerseys. These are jerseys that are too important, jerseys of Algeria. I didn’t have the opportunity to exchange them. Many people in my family asked me to leave my collector’s edition Algeria World Cup jersey.”

For Bentaleb, the shirt represents more than just a piece of football memorabilia, with the midfielder highlighting the emotional significance attached to wearing Algeria’s colours on the biggest stage.

Looking back at the team’s overall World Cup journey, the Lille player admitted there was disappointment after Algeria’s elimination in the Round of 32 against Switzerland.

“It was good, it was a great adventure. Afterwards, of course, there’s a bitter taste in our mouths because we all know what we should have done better. We should have handled the match against Switzerland better. It’s still a superb experience, though.”

Despite the frustration, Bentaleb described the tournament as a valuable experience and recognised the positive memories created during Algeria’s participation.

When asked about the moment that stood out most from the competition, the midfielder selected the clash with Switzerland as his favourite memory.

“My best memory is still the match against Switzerland because there was a certain pressure and we had a duty to do well, we wanted to do well. After all, it’s a World Cup match, it’s still an important match, even if we didn’t handle it well. It remains my best memory because there was a really good atmosphere when we arrived at the stadium.”

Bentaleb will now turn his attention back to club football with Lille, where he is set to continue his career after committing his future to the Ligue 1 club.

However, his reflections underline both the pride and disappointment of Algeria’s World Cup experience, with the midfielder believing the team had the ability to achieve more.