FIFA president recalls Algeria’s historic 1982 campaign

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has paid tribute to Algeria’s historic 1982 World Cup campaign, describing the team’s controversial elimination as a defining moment that left a lasting impression on global football.

Speaking during an official visit to Algeria, Gianni Infantino reflected on both the country’s football development and a tournament he says shaped his connection to the national team.

Infantino was in Tlemcen to inaugurate a new regional technical centre, where he praised Algeria’s long-term vision for nurturing talent and expanding its football infrastructure.

“This regional technical center is not just an important step, but a crucial one in the direction that Algeria has decided to take. The direction of believing in these young people is to project football, not only to the regional or African level, but to the highest spheres of the world stage.”

However, it was his recollection of the 1982 World Cup that provided the most personal insight. The FIFA president described how Algeria’s performances during the tournament left a deep impression on him as a young football fan.

“I became a fan of Algerian football, of Algeria in 1982 at the World Cup. I was 12 years old at the time, I already loved football, but it was that World Cup that really had a special impact.

Italy, my country, won that World Cup, but before that, in the group stage, the team that surprised the world and captured our hearts was the Algerian team. I had posters of Algeria and Italy stuck to the wall in my room at home.”

He also revisited Algeria’s famous victory over West Germany, highlighting the unexpected nature of their performance on the global stage.

“This was the Algeria we didn’t know, who came out of nowhere with Belloumi, Madjer, all these great players who made this incredible match against Germany.  The Germans didn’t know where to turn. Algeria played incredible football in that match.”

Infantino went on to address the controversial circumstances surrounding Algeria’s exit from the tournament, widely remembered as the “Disgrace of Gijón.”

“Afterwards, perhaps a bit of a lack of experience in the second match, and then we all know what happened in the third match. But Algeria  has earned a place in the hearts of all those who love football around the world.”

The remarks serve as a renewed recognition of a team that not only impressed on the pitch but also contributed to lasting changes in the rules of international competition.