Algeria and DR Congo meet on Monday in a heavyweight round-of-16 clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a fixture that already stirs strong emotions well beyond Morocco.
From Lille, and despite his absence from the tournament, Nabil Bentaleb sent a forceful message of belief to his national team.
The encounter stands as one of the most eagerly awaited ties of the knockout stage.
Algeria arrive with momentum after a flawless group campaign, three wins from three matches, and performances that underlined their attacking depth and technical quality.
Key figures such as Ibrahim Maza, Riyad Mahrez and Anis Hadj-Moussa drove that run, setting high expectations among supporters.
DR Congo approach the match with confidence of their own. The Leopards pushed Senegal to the limit in a hard-fought draw before closing the group phase with a commanding 3-0 victory against Botswana.
Those results highlighted both resilience and squad depth, traits that promise a fiercely contested duel.
From northern France, Bentaleb chose to add his voice to the build-up. During LOSC Lille’s first training session of 2026, the Algerian midfielder featured in a club video released to mark the New Year. His message came across loud and clear.
“Happy New Year. One, two, three, viva Algeria. We’re going to beat Congo,” Bentaleb declared, smiling as he addressed supporters and teammates alike.
The statement quickly resonated among Algerian fans. While some in the Congolese camp may view it as provocative, many in Algeria received it as a straightforward show of loyalty and competitive spirit.
Bentaleb’s absence from the AFCON remains notable. In recent months, he featured regularly under coach Vladimir Petkovic and often started matches.
November’s final international window before the tournament changed that situation, as he lost his place and missed the final selection.
Despite that setback, Bentaleb continues to back the Fennecs publicly. Algeria rely at this AFCON on a midfield built around Ismaël Bennacer and Hicham Boudaoui, with Ramiz Zerrouki and Adem Zorgane providing alternatives. From afar, Bentaleb offers encouragement rather than bitterness.
At 31, the Lille midfielder now focuses on consistency at club level. Strong performances with LOSC over the coming months remain his clear objective, with one eye firmly fixed on a return to the national setup and the longer-term goal of featuring at the 2026 World Cup.
As Algeria prepare to face DR Congo, Bentaleb’s words add another layer of intensity to a contest that already promises drama, pride and high stakes.
Nabil Bentaleb :
« Bonne année, 1.2.3 viva l’Algérie 🇩🇿 on va taper le Congo » 😂😂😂
[@losclive ] pic.twitter.com/3Gpjply3Ly
— La Vague Verte ⭐️🇩🇿⭐️ (@la_vagueverte) January 2, 2026
