At the age of 19, Nabil Bentaleb, who previously had a selection for the U19s dating back to November 2012, has made the decision to represent Algeria, his father’s homeland.
This choice has not been well received by Willy Sagnol, the coach of the French youth team, who expressed his disappointment in an interview with L’Equipe. Sagnol lamented Bentaleb’s decision, stating that his profile could have been of interest to the French team. However, it became apparent that Bentaleb’s heart was inclined towards Algeria.
Sagnol emphasized the importance of playing for the national team with genuine passion and commitment, suggesting that players should represent their country out of love for the jersey without any wavering allegiance. Despite his disappointment, Sagnol extended his best wishes to Bentaleb for success with Algeria.
Bentaleb, who recently helped Spurs qualify for the round of 16 of the Europa League, has been called up by Algeria to face Slovenia on March 5 as part of the FIFA international match day.
