Amine Gouiri and Himad Abdelli praised as Marseille’s standout Algeria internationals

Olympique de Marseille’s inconsistent start to the season has been offset by the form of Algeria internationals Amine Gouiri and Himad Abdelli, according to Niger head coach Nabil Neghiz.

Marseille have won four and lost four of their Ligue 1 matches, leaving them eighth in the table, while they have also suffered defeat in all three of their Ligue Europa games. Their attacking record is considerably stronger: they have scored 18 goals, the most in the league, but have conceded 13, giving them the competition’s 11th-best defence.

The club’s squad has been weakened by several departures, with limited finances preventing those losses from being fully replaced, much to the frustration of manager Bruno Genesio. Against that backdrop, Gouiri and Abdelli have been among Marseille’s most convincing performers.

Gouiri, 26, has 28 Algeria caps and 11 goals. Since joining Marseille in January 2025, he has scored five times and provided two assists this season. His latest contribution came in the 4-3 victory over Le Havre on 25 October.

Abdelli, also 26, has made 11 international appearances and has scored three goals since the start of the campaign. Signed from Angers during the last winter transfer window, he has made a more positive impression than during his first six months in southern France.

Neghiz, who is preparing in Niamey for Niger’s next two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Morocco, has been monitoring both players closely.

The main concern surrounding Gouiri is not his ability but his fitness. The former Lyon player missed more than three months last season because of muscular problems and a much more serious shoulder injury.

He has already spent two weeks on the sidelines in 2026-2027 after suffering another hamstring problem during Algeria’s 3-1 win against Zambia in September, in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Neghiz believes Gouiri’s influence extends beyond his attacking output.

“Gouiri is a leader at Marseille, just as he is with Algeria,” he said.

Abdelli’s development has also been encouraged by a more settled role under Genesio. After being given time to adapt, he completed Marseille’s summer preparation and has been used for 634 minutes in Ligue 1.

“He needed time to adapt. He completed the pre-season with Marseille, and you can see that he is in good shape. He is a starter, and I think Abdelli will continue to improve and gain experience,” Neghiz said.

The pair will have further opportunities to strengthen their form in the coming fixtures against Toulouse on 1 November, Bayer Leverkusen in Germany on 5 November in the Ligue Europa and Lens on 8 November.