As Algeria gears up for the impending Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, Youcef Belaili, a key presence in Djamel Belmadi’s extended squad, voiced the team’s ambitious aspirations in an exclusive interview with the CAF website.
The prolific scorer from MC Alger conveyed the determination within the Algerian national team, emphasizing their collective commitment to achieving success in Ivory Coast.
Belaili, likely to be part of the traveling squad, expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities and set their sights on securing their third continental crown.
“We have an excellent team, and we will go to Ivory Coast to achieve a good result and, why not, win the African Cup of Nations.
The objective is clear: we want to go as far as possible and win our third title,” stated Belaili.
Algeria, placed in Group D alongside Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania, faces high expectations as they aim for a strong performance in the tournament.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the previous AFCON in Cameroon, Belaili expressed hope for improved conditions on the pitch in Ivory Coast.
“We were hampered by the state of the pitch in the last AFCON.
We hope not to have the same experience again in Ivory Coast. The standard is expected to be high, and most teams play a very physical game. Algeria is in good shape, and we will give everything to go as far as possible during this AFCON,” he added.
Looking back at the victorious AFCON 2019 campaign, Belaili credited the team’s success to their unity and shared determination to bring joy to the Algerian people.
As they set their sights on the upcoming tournament, the Algerian international highlighted the goal against Senegal as his best memory, marking a crucial moment in their qualification for the second round during AFCON 2019.
With a potent mix of confidence and determination, Algeria, guided by Belaili and the leadership of Belmadi, enters AFCON 2023 with the clear objective of securing a historic third title.
